I'm standing here until you make me move
by Indigo M
Summary: Kakashi has just returned from a long mission and Sakura really don't know how she feels. Is her new mission going to separate them again? Is there someone from her past that is going to replace Kakashi or is their love for each other to strong?
1. I'm living for the only thing I know

**I'm standing here until you make me move – Updated! **

Hello everyone! I wrote this story in 2007, and forgot all about it without finishing it. I'm sorry about that and I hope that I will be able to give you all a satisfying ending. My English five years ago weren't that great, so I will fix up the spelling and grammar errors in the first seven chapters before publishing chapter eight and nine (which I also wrote back in 2007) before starting on a new chapter. So yeah, this is a story about Kakashi and Sakura from Naruto, since I don't really read Naruto anymore, I won't take any regard to what has happened in the real story during the past few years. I hope that you will enjoy this love story!

**Prologue**

It has been nearly 7 years since team 7 became a team. But now the team just remained as a memory and nothing more. Sasuke lost himself when he decided to leave, how many years has it been? Far too many anyway. Naruto is still dreaming about being the future Hokage, and he still goes on journeys whit Jiraiya times to times. And in the past three years, Sakura has been working as a med-nin with Tsunade.

Now how about their team leader, Kakashi? No one has seen him in the past year because of a mission. And one person who is bothered by this is Sakura. But finally, he got home and the day Sakura turned nineteen, everything started to clear up between them.

**Chapter 1 – I'm living for the only thing I know**

He tried to keep his eyes open, his whole world was spinning and he tried to collect his thoughts and focus them on his bed. Light leaked in between the curtains and Kakashi Hatake felt really helpless. He asked himself the same question as most people do when they realize they have ingested too much alcohol_.__I just want__it to stop_. Why had he allowed Jiraiya invite him to all that sake? His eyes flickered past the clock on the wall, just after four in the morning. Somewhere in the back of his head, a picture of Sakura's face passed by. Sakura, the reason he let Jiraiya, and anyone who was up to it treat him sake and god knows what. _It will__calm your__nerves_, they said. But they did not, but he couldn't focus on any of that right now, all he could think of that he would meet her in less than five hours, and that he must try to get its act together by then. He let his body fall onto the bed, and said a silent prayer that it would all work out before he passed out.

She opened her eyes and turned her head to the side. 08.00am, she turned off the alarm and sat up in her bed. She didn't feel her body or mind, she just started to move like some kind of machine. And what she did under the time between waking up and locking her front door behind her was all in a blur. Her head was just filled whit the last years feelings and before she knew it, she were standing on the bridge. The morning mist lay in the air, creating an unreal atmosphere. She sat down on the rail and let her legs start to dangle.

This is kind of nostalgic she thought. How long has it been? Over a year.

_They were standing on the bridge, looking at each other. _

_She had known for some weeks that he was leaving. But she hadn't had the curage to face reality, she didn't want to. But that day, standing in the mist it all come clear to her. He was going to leave. He didn't have a choice. _

"_I am so sorry Sakura." He looked at her whit his uncovered eye._

"_They just can't force you to go, they just can't!" _

"_I have done everything I can, but Tsunade has made her decision. I must go on this mission, we both know what it means to be a ninja Sakura. We have to follow our orders, no matter how hard it can be."_

_Silence followed his words and whit hesitation she opened her mouth. _

"_I'm in this darkness and there is no light to guide me trough" she whispered out to the emptiness. _

"_I will be here for you when I return, you know that right?" he let his right hand stroke her cheek softly._

"_But I won't be able see you, to feel you or to touch you. I can't go on whiteout you by my side." Her voice faded away as she turned her head to the side. Her cheeks where wet of the tears that were zippering out of her deep dark eyes. She knew that she was childish and that she sounded like a cliché, but none of that mattered tight now. _

"_All I want in this world is to have you by my side. But you must give us time. This is all so new to me, and maybe we need a year to, grow?" He finally said, he was trying to convince her just as much as he was trying to convince himself. He hated the fact that he was the one doing this to her, but it made it a little bit easier knowing that he already had done everything in his power to get out of the mission. But he was a ninja in the end, they both were, and they both knew what it meant._

"_You mean that I'm too young for this relationship!" She said whit a shivering voice. He hadn't thought that his heart could hurt anymore than it already did, but hearing her words and the doubt in them took the pain to a new level. _

"_No Sakura, I don't care about our age difference! I am talking about both of us! We need, no I need to think about this whole thing." He needed to keep his act together, he needed to be the bad guy right now, anything that would make it easier for her. _

"_You need to think a whole year? It sounds to me that you are running away from the problem instead of dealing whit it!" She couldn't hide her anger any longer._

_Good, anger is better than he just felt torn up inside. He hated himself for what he was doing to her. But he didn't have a choice, even if it meant losing her forever. He had to go. He couldn't be so selfish to sacrifice the whole village future for just his own happiness. He knew that by doing this, she was out of danger. And that itself was worth everything. _

"_I'm not running Sakura. And I must go now, they are expecting me." _

"_So this is goodbye?" _

"_It looks like it." _

"_I will wait for you, and when you come back. We will talk about everything right here, right on this spot."_

"_I will be here."_

_She smiled and the anger that she had felt a moment ago was gone. They couldn't part on bad terms. _

_He let his arms embrace her and their lips softly touched each other. Their last kiss ended too soon, but it couldn't be helped. He had to go. _

"_Promise me that you will come back to me. Don't play a hero, just survive. Okay?" She couldn't help the tears and her harsh voice._

"_I promise you." Still holding his head close to hears. Her lips close to his ear._

"_I love you." Neither of them had spoken out those words before, but she had to tell him how she felt. And it wasn't just because that he could potentially be killed, but because it was what she really felt, what they both felt. He took one last deep breath, and whispered :_

"_I love you too." And one second he was holding her so close that there was no space left for air between them. And the next second he was gone._

She got of the bridge's railing and looked up at the sky. The mist was long time gone and he was late, too late. She knew that he had come home last night. It had been the big gossip all over town about the return of his team. The mission had been a success and all team members had return alive. But still he wasn't here.

She had missed him so much. Her friends had support her every single day knowing that something was wrong, but they didn't know what it was, and it had made her feel so lonely.

Every night when she looked up at the sky she had wondered if he looked at it as well, thinking of her. What if he has realized under their separation that it couldn't be them? She couldn't force him to feel like she did about him when he thought about her. But he could at least come down here and talk to her!

In a flash, she was of the bridge heading home. She had never felt this way before, so hurt, so sad, so lonely and, to her surprise angry.

"No no no!" He said to himself trying to find some clothes. He had overslept, even for being him he was late. The only thought in his mind right now were to find Sakura and talk to her. Why did he necessary have to drink so much the day before? He knew the answer, he was scared and on top of that he also had a bad hangover. What if she didn't feel the same anymore? Maybe she even hated him for leaving. How could he be so stupid that he had listen to Jiraiyas advice:

"Take some sake Kakashi, it will help your nerves." _Thanks old man_ he thought when he closed the door of his apartment and started to run.

When he got to the bridge he wasn't surprised that she wasn't there. But he couldn't help that he had had some hope. It would have been so much easier. But he didn't give up, the next stop was her place. He knocked on the door for ten minutes without any response. He locked around to find an empty street and with help of a quick jutsu, he unlocked the door and entered her house.

He soon realized that the house was empty and when he just was about to leave. A picture caught his interest. It was the team 7 picture. He looked at them all, just standing there. They looked so happy, and so innocent. He grabbed the frame and lifted it up for a closer look when he felt something on the back. He turned the frame and saw the back of a picture. He turned the picture around and saw himself with a arm around _her_, both smiling back at him.

"Sakura." He placed the picture back on the frame and put it back down on the table where it belonged. He left the house and locked the door before leaving. He continued searching but he couldn't find her anywhere. She was hiding, and she has become pretty good at it, he admitted to himself.

The clock had seen long past midnight when he decided to give up for the night. She is probably lying asleep somewhere by now he thought. It didn't take long to return to his own apartment and he let out a light sigh as he turned the key. He found out to his own surprise that the door wasn't looked. With his whole body reedy to attack any one that could be inside he opened the door without a sound. He went through the apartment pretty fast and he didn't find anyone or anything looking suspicious. The last room that remained was his bedroom. Fast and quiet he opened his bedroom door, nothing.

He started to take of his shirt and mask and with only a pair of boxers on he went to bed. Just when he was going to lie down he saw something lying on the bed. A note.

_I'm glad that you are okay._ Nothing more, but he could feel her anger.

"I'm so sorry Sakura." He whispered out in the night.

Not far away a dark figure was sitting on a rooftop, alone and starring up at the sky.

"Hey Sakura, come in before you catch a cold." Ino said with a worried voice.

"Just a second Ino." She answered.

"Come on, its past midnight. It is a whole new day. And not just an ordinary day, this is going to be your best birthday yet!" Ino smiled and looked at her friend.

"Okay, but promise that it won't be a big party and that the whole village isn't invited."

Her best friend just smiled back at her and Sakura looked whit big eyes on her. There will definitely be a party she thought before getting inside. _What will I do and feel when I see you?_

The next morning, the two girls was walking down the street looking after a restaurant to get some lunch from.

"Happy Birthday Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled from behind.

"Naruto!" She smiled seeing one of her best friends running towards her.

"Here you go Sakura-chan!" He said handing over a really bad wrapped present.

"Oh, thank you. I didn't expect you to remember." She laugh and started to unwrap the present.

"Sakura don't be so mean." Ino laughed like never before but Naruto didn't care.

"Do you like it?" He just said looking whit expectation at her.

"I love it!" She said holding up a light blue braided bracelet between her fingers.

"I obtained it on my last mission. It gets its color from some rare kick ass flower that only grows at some weird named mountain. The villagers makes them and I thought of you when I saw it."

"Hey Naruto, you have really surpassed yourself this time." Ino said with big eyes looking down on the beautiful bracelet.

Naruto smiled and put his right hand on the back of his head just like he use to do.

"Do you like to join us for lunch?" Sakura asked as she put on the bracelet.

"Sorry, I can't. Jirayia would be so mad if I skipped practice. But I will see you two tonight!" He held up his arm in a farewell gesture and then he was gone.

"No party ey?" Sakura looked at her friend with a raised eyebrow, but Ino had already started to run in the opposite direction.

"Ino! Stop right there!" She yelled after her friend before she took off after her.

"Haha no way!" She answered and started to run faster.

The night came faster than Sakura thought it would. And she was surprised over how little her thoughts had slipped away to _him._

But still, he was the only thing on her mind.

"Wow Sakura you look out standing!" Ino said when she entered the room.

"But it reveals too much, Ino!" Sakura said poling down the short white dress.

"You are nineteen not ninety. Come on, every man on the party will stare at you."

_But I don't want every man, I just want him_, she thought starring at herself in the mirror.

"Sakura?"

"Fine. But just so you know. There won't be any flirting for my part to night."

"Boring…"

Sakura ignored her friends comment and started to put some make up on.

He felt no desire on going to the party. He didn't feel for anything. He had spent the whole day looking after her but she masked her chakra well. She had really trained a lot the past year.

But he knew that she still were in town after talking to Naruto.

He had been glad to see his old student and Naruto seemed glad having his old sensei back in town. _So she hadn't told him anything. Then maybe no one knows_? But that doesn't matter anymore. They are both adults and if it was okay with her. He would gladly tell everyone about them. If there ever were going to be _them_ again.

He didn't do anything special about his look. Just his ordinary Kakashi style with a black shirt, dark pants and his mask. The hair looked as always and his left eye was covered.

"Time to do something about this whole thing." He said looking himself in the mirror.

_A knock on the door surprised him._

_Who could that be?_ He wondered and started to walk towards the door.

"Hey Kakashi!" Jiraiya said smiling.

"Yo."

"I haven't seen you since our night out. What have you been up to?"

"Nothing really. Catching up with life."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really."

"Fine then, let's go to that party then."

"I don't think that I will go." _He surprised himself for saying that. Didn't he want to see Sakura?_

"Come on now, let's go. I can see that you have put some extra effort on your looks today." How could he say that? He hadn't done anything special with his looks, not on purpose anyway. When he didn't answer, Jiriya continued.

"Haha I knew it, who is she?" His friend said with a goofy looking face.

"Who is who?" Kakashi answered in his normal natural way.

"Fine, be that way but you are coming and you will introduce me to this woman of yours."

He gave up, when Jiraiya starts with this type of things. He doesn't stop until he gets what he wants.

"Let's go then." He said and walked passed him in the hallway.

"Hey wait for me Kakashi." And when he came up to his friend side he opened his mouth.

"So who is she?"

Kakashi just smiled at his friend.

"Sakura you look amazing!" Tenten said the same time she walked through the door.

"Thanks!"

"And happy birthday, how have your day been so far?"

"I will tell you everything but first, can't we all get a room in the back? I just want to spend this night with my friends." She said smiling softly at the group.

"Fine with me Sakura-chan!" Naruto said already walking towards the restaurant owner to ask for a room.

"It's your birthday." Shikamaru said and started to walk after Naruto

Tenten and Ino just looked surprised at her but didn't say a single word.

When the whole group were sitting in the soft lighted room and everyone were holding a cup of sake they all found it the perfect time to sing for her.

"Haha stop it!" She laughed and she discovered that the sake had a pleasant effect on her.

"Hey Sakura, what do you want to do next?" Kiba said holding up a bottle of sake.

"I don't know, hm Ino?" She looked at her best friend for some help.

"How about truth or dare?" Everyone laugh about this.

"Just like you Ino!" Someone said.

"Haha I like it, let's play." Sakura said with a big smile on her face. _It was the sake acting._

"Okay Sakura, it's your birthday so you can start."

"Hm, okay. Naruto, truth or dare?"

"Dare of curse!" He said.

"Okay, Kiss Hinata!" She should had felt bad for poor shy Hinata but the sake made her ignore the other girls feelings.

"Oy Sakura, nice." Ino said poking her friend in the side.

"Hey that hurts."

But before Ino had a chance to response with more poking they both froze when they say Naruto and Hinata, they had started making out over in the corner.

"Oh my god!" Ino said and ever one started to laugh.

"Okay since lover boy is too busy, its' my turn." Ino said.

"Hey how do you play this game?" Neji jelled at her.

"Haha take it easy."

"So birthday girl, I will be nice and say what you are going to do or tell us and then you can choose."

"Fine Ino, spit it out." But instead of saying it out loud she lender towards Sakura and whispered.

"Who is it that you are thinking of when you are looking up at the stars? Or kiss Nenji in front of everyone, including the people outside."

"I don't want to." She said with a low voice. Ino looked at her friend.

"If you are playing the game you must follow the rules." Ino whispered.

"Please Ino, I don't want to." If she had been a little bit more sober she had been able to take the easy way out and just kiss him, but she was emotionally exhausted after running away from Kakashi the last couple of days.

She didn't hear anything else than her own heartbeat. She didn't see anything else than her friends face looking at her.

All sudden both Ino and Sakura felt all sober.

"Do you want to go somewhere to talk?" Ino asked her friend.

"Y-yeah." They both stood up and Ino took a bottle of sake whit her.

"Hey, what's going on?" Tenten said.

"Sakura feels that she needs to throw up."

"And what is the sake for?" Neji asked.

"If I'm going to clean up after her, I think I want to be drunk." It was in situations like this that Sakura where glad that her best friend had a sharp tongue.

Just before Ino were going to open the door Sakura realized something.

"Wait!"

"What is it? You are not really going to throw up are you?" Ino said.

"No I, but I can feel his chakra. He is in the other room." She said and den she started to feel a weird feeling.

"Oh let me see who it is!"

"Ino!"

"Fine, it was just a joke anyway. Let's go out the window then…"

"Mm, and don't forget to hide your chakra."

After a long and slow walk, they finally stood outside the restaurant where the party was held.

"Are you coming Kakashi?"

He nodded at his friend and the both men walked in. The restaurant were crowded and everyone's chakra was mixing up. But he didn't have a problem to find her. She was sitting in a room in the back with her friends. He started to walk towards the room. He didn't have a plan, he didn't know what to say, he just needed her. He needed to talk to her, to feel her, he needed her more than anything.

He walked through the crowd and just when he had less than a meter from the door an arm grabbed his.

"Heey gorgeous! Want to have some fun?" A blond, big breasted woman stood in front of him dressed in a minimal red dress, not leaving anything to the imagination.

"Let go of me."

"No way, you're way to hot!" She laughed and looked him in the eye.

_Sakura_. He felt how she stood up in the room and then, she was gone.

"I'm already taken, miss." He said and without waiting for an answer he shook her off and opened the door.

There they all sat, drinking sake and laughing. But Sakura weren't there anymore.

"Hey sensei, have some sake whit us!" The drunken Naruto said.

"He is not your sensei idiot!" Tenten filled in.

"Where is Sakura?" Kakashi asked ignoring his old student.

"Em she is…" Naruto looked around.

"She was here a minuet ago." He ended his sentence.

She must have jumped out the window, he looked around one last time. Ino was missing to. Then they must be headed back to Inos place by now.

"Sorry for interrupting." He said with a smile ant then he was gone.

Ino and Sakura sat close to each other on her roof, looking up at the stars.

"So Sakura, are you going to tell me what's on your hart now?"

"Ino, it's not that simple. I don't think that you will understand."

"Try me."

Sakura hesitated before opening her moth. But before she manage to say a word, she felt his presence and turned around.

"Kakashi." She barely managed to whisper.

"Sakura." He responded with a pale voice.

Ino just looked from her friend to Kakashi and then back to her friend. What was going on?

"Ino, can you please give us a moment of privacy?" He finally said.

"No stay Ino, I think that it is you that should leave Kakashi." Her voice was shivering. She felt trapped. She knew that she didn't have a choice. She had to deal with this now, it couldn't wait. But she could at least try to make him and all her problems disappear.

"Ino, just go." He said one more time.

"Fine, I don't want to be in your way." She said and stood up. Sakura grabbed her arm and looked at her friend in the eyes. She could see that Ino was thinking, realizing stuff and that she knew that she was the third wheel out here. So she left and they were alone at last.

Sakura turned her head away refusing to face him.

"You never came." The tears weren't far away now, but she wouldn't cry in front of him.

"I know, but I'm here now." He answered.

"I have been waiting over a year and you didn't show up!" There was no use, the first tear went down her cheek and she couldn't hold it much longer. All her sadness from the past year wanted to come out at once and it didn't matter how hard she tried. She couldn't hold it back.

"I know, I know." He sat down besides her and pulled her against his body.

"Let go of me!" She cried out loud trying to get loose.

"I will never let you go again." He said, and even if he seemed calm he wasn't. He felt torn up inside seeing her like this. He blamed himself for making her go through everything that she has gone through the last year.

"Let go." Her voice faded away and the tears were zippering down her face.

"I won't." He loosened his grip around her only to allow her arms to embrace him as well.

They just sat there for a while, holding each other.

"Do you want to come over to my place and talk?"

"No." She swallowed some tears and continued.

"I think we just need to start over. You have changed so much. We both have. And I just feel that this is the easiest way…" The words just disappeared out in the night and she didn't say anything else.

He nodded at her. He would gladly wait for her. Even if it took an eternity, he would wait.

"Okay, I will give you all the time that you'll need."

She looked up at him with a pale smile on her face, no longer having tears in her eyes.

"So, do you want to do something tomorrow?"

"I must practice." She answered.

"Let me help you then."

"Hm, okay but Naruto will be there too."

He was glad that she wanted him to come but little disappointed over that they wouldn't be alone whit each other.

"Meet us at the bridge around 9am. And this time Kakashi, don't be late!"

When Sakura woke up the next morning, she couldn't help being nervous. She opened her closet and just stared, what was she going to wear? After countless of outfit testing, she finally decided to wear a dark outfit in grey hues and some yellow details. This will do just fine she thought and started to put on her forehead protector. She turned around the key and started to walk down the street. The sun had just started to rise and the sunbeams warmed up Sakuras frozen body.

She saw a blond man walking in front of her.

"Naruto!"

"Ah, Sakura-chan!"

She walked up next to him and they started to walk.

"Hey Naruto, Is it okay with you that Kakashi will train with us today?" She said without looking at him.

"Hell yeah! I have been dying to show him this new technique I've been working on!" Naruto said with an exited voice.

He started to talk about the technique but Sakura didn't really listen to him. But all of a sudden his voice changed and he became all serious.

"Where did you disappear last night? I was worried about you. You just left without saying a single word." He looked at her with a worried look on his face.

But before she had the time to answer him, they both noticed that they were standing on the bridge and that Kakashi already was standing there waiting for them.

Naruto just stared at him and was about to drop his chin to the ground. He had never been in this situation, the copy-nin was actually in time, waiting for them!

"Yo." Kakashi said and took out his Icha Icha from his pocket.

"So you decided to show up today." Sakura said and they all started to walk down the road.

Naruto just looked like a big question mark and walked on Sakuras left side.

Kakashi ignored them both and walked a couple of meters behind them. And Naruto started to talk about the night before again and what Sakura had missed.

She laughed when she heard that Kiva and Neji had been running around kissing everyone of the opposite sex in the party because of a bet.

"So why didn't you run along with them?" She asked between the laughs.

"I was busy with Hinata." Naruto smiled and blushed.

Sakura just opened her mouth and stared at him. She closed her mouth and opened it again a second later. The both friends started to laugh at each other.

Meanwhile Kakashi was reading his book, more or less anyway.

"Now Sakura, you must tell me about last night. I don't believe Inos drunk story." He became serious once more and looked at her,

Kakashi looked up from his book and waited for her answer. Sakura just laugh nervously and started to talk about his new technique. Naruto did answer her questions but didn't let go of the fact that she didn't want to talk about the night before. But he gave up on the subject for the moment and turned around.

"Kakashi, please tell us about your mission now!"

"Naruto, you know that I'm not allowed to tell you anything." He answers without looking up from his book.

"Come on, I heard that it was a really important political mission in the land of water!"

"Naruto." He said with the same strict voice he had used when he still were their sensei.

"Oh, you are so boring. You could at least tell us about something that happened during the mission."

"Okay, I will tell you if you can beat me in some thjiutso combat fighting."

"Haha I have some new tricks that you'll never figure out." Naruto said with a lot of self-confidence.

"Hey Sakura, we have been training together this past year when Kakashi has been gone. I can beat him, right?" Sakura knew that he really had improved his skills but she didn't really think that he would win over the famous copy-nin.

"Naruto, don't talk rubbish." She said with a sarcastic voice and smiled at both of them.

"You can fight if you like but I am going to train." She finished up and started to walk over to a tree.

Kakashi thought that he really wanted to skip the fight and just sit under the tree next to her. But he couldn't just ignore Naruto.

"Sakura." He said after her.

"Do your best, both of you." She said and sat down and started to gather up her chakra.

When she closed her eyes, she started to remember something that had happen some years ago, just under this tree.

_She looked at him just lying there next to her. His eyes were closed and his breathing was slow and rhythmic. A soft breeze made the hair block her face. Suddenly he turned his head and opened his eyes. Without saying a word, he reached out his hand and removed the hair from her face. He let his hand slip down to her cheek and looked deep into her jade colored eyes. He took his other hand and laid it on his own face and started to pull down his mask._

"_What are you doing?" She said with a low nervous voice. She has known him for four years now but she had never seen his face. Now when she thinks about it, they had actually never kissed. Well lips to mask kissing but not a real kiss. _

"_You will eventually see it anyway, and I really feeling like kissing you right now." He said with a smile._

_He continued to pull down his mask and when he got to the tip of the nose she just closed her eyes._

_Why she couldn't understand, she just did. _

_The next second she felt his lips against hers and she passionately responded to his kiss. Their tongues met and the most pleasant feeling started to spread through her body. This was her first real kiss. Eventually the kiss ended and Sakura licked her lips, she could still taste him._

"_Open your eyes Sakura." _

_Why did I close them from the start? She thought, I really want to see his face!_

_Slowly she started to open her eyes. He had already covered his face._

"_Okay I am ready to see you now." _

"_Too late, you had your chance and you blew it!" He said laughing and smiling at her. _

Back to reality, Sakura witnessed how Naruto just loosed. She really didn't expect that Kakashi would, but he could at least been little nicer to him. She started to shake her head and smiled to herself. The both men walked over to the three and sat down next to her.

"Come on Kakashi, tell something from your mission now." Naruto nagged and looked at the white haired man.

Kakashi just leaned his back against the tree and opened his book and started to read.

Naruto just ignored the fact that Kakashi were ignoring him end turned his head towards Sakura.

"Sakura-chan, do you want to run some laps around the area with me?"

"I'm sorry Naruto, but I want to finish up whit my chakra training."

"Fine, I will run all by myself then." He muttered and stood up and started to jog.

After some minuets she lay down in the grass and looked up at the sky.

"Do you remember the day when we were lying just like this, under this tree?" She asked him.

He looked up from his book and looked at her. She continued without waiting for a response.

"I wish that everything could be this easy. Just lying down and look at the clouds."

He stood up and walked over to her and sat down beside her.

"If we didn't have to fight for anything, we would soon lose our interest in life."

He said without looking at her.

"So you like fighting for everything?"

"Not everything, but some things yes."

"What do you not like fighting for then?" She asked.

He lay down and laid both of his hands under his head and looked up at the clouds.

"You." He answered her whit a low voice. And rolled over to the side so that they came face to face. "I mean, I don't mind fighting for you. But nothing would make me happier than having you in my arms, knowing that it is the place where you want to be."

Sakura looked at him and felt how much she wanted to touch him. She wanted, more than anything to have his arms around her again.

"Hey, you are not working out!" Naruto interrupted the moment when he came running.

Sakura sat up and looked at the blond man. _The moment was gone._

"Haha, don't say anything Mr. take a break every fifth minute!"

Naruto just laugh and reached out his hand to help her up.

"Let's go to Ichiraku and have some ramen for lunch!"

"Fine." She answered and started to walk with him. When they noticed that Kakashi wasn't following them they stooped and turned around.

"Are you coming Kakashi?" Naruto yelled.

"I have some things to take care of. You can go without me." He answered without looking up from his book.

"Okay." Naruto started to walk.

"Sakura, are you coming?" Naruto said.

"Yeah." She looked at the man that lay the grass with a wondering look on her face. He didn't face her even if he was well aware of her standing there looking at him.

"Do you want something Sakura?" He asked whiteout looking at her.

_I just want to be with you. _She thought.

"Not really, see you later Kakashi?"

"Mm."

Naruto and Sakura started to walk.

What the hell was that about Naruto thought while looking at his friend.

"So what are you going to order?" She said with a smile on her lips. _A fake smile. _

A/N: One chapter done! I did rewrite some parts, man how lame my story telling was five years ago! Haha, anyway, please review and tell me what you think! I will try to fix chapter two and three tomorrow. Until next time.


	2. In your arms

**Chapter 2 – In your arms – Updated!**

"Welcome to Ichiraku ramen bar!"

"Hey old man, I want a bowl of the usual sort." Naruto said and sat down in front of the old chef.

"Okay Naruto, and what do you want miss?" He said turning his head towards Sakura.

"I take whatever Naruto is having."

"Coming right up!" The man answered and turned around and started to prepare the meal.

Sakura sat down next to Naruto.

"Sakura?"

She didn't like the tone of his voice.

"Yes Naruto?"

"Has anything happened between you and Kakashi?" _Shit_. Well, she did spend a lot of time with Naruto. It had been doomed that he sooner or later would ask her about this. But she wouldn't just hand over the whole story just like that, so she played the oblivious card.

"I don't understand what you are talking about. Really Naruto, I don't." She poured some tea from the jug that had been placed in front of them and took a sip.

"Why are you lying to me?" She could tell that he was hurt, but shouldn't Naruto figure out that she didn't want to talk about this?

"I am not lying about anything!" She couldn't look him in the eye, when they both knew that she was lying.

Naruto stared at her, what was going on with his friend?

Sakura knew where this was going, so she looked for an escape. She pretended to look down at her watch and got up on her feet.

"Oh I'm so late! I'm so sorry Naruto but I totally lost track of time, I don't even have time for lunch!" She put down some money on the counter and gave the chef an apology.

"And Naruto, you don't have to worry about me, nothing is wrong. I'll see you later." She said and started to walk.

He watched his friend walk away. Something was wrong, she was hiding something from him. It had to be something concerning Kakashi. He didn't like it, it made him worried, if Kakashi had done something, hurt her in any way, maybe he would let loose his real powers upon him…

Sakura walked down the street with her head full of the lies she just had told one of her best friends. But something caught her interest and she stopped in front of a girl who was sitting all alone next to a fence. She looked so sad.

"Hi, are you okay?" She asked and looked down at her.

"No… Everybody is just making fun of me because I didn't pass the genin exam on the first try." She said looking down at the ground.

"You shouldn't listen to everybody else. In time, you will learn how to control your charka. What's your name? "

"Kaede."

"Nice to meet you Kaede, my name is Sakura."

"Why are you so nice to me? You don't even know me."

"I guess that it is just in my nature being this way. May I ask who your teacher is?"

"Iruka Umino was my teacher. But I guess now when I am a genin, I'm going to have a new sensei."

"You're kidding me! Iruka was my teacher as well when I attended the academy!"

"Wow, then you must be a ninja! Please, could you tell me everything, which rank do you have? Who is on your team?"

"Haha, slow down, I'll tell you everything you want to know. How about if we go and buy some ice cream and sit down and talk?"

Kaede nodded and they walked together to the ice cream stand.

"Ano, I don't have any money on me." Kaede said and looked down at the ground.

"It's my treat, pick any flavor you'd like!" Sakura smiled and scoped out some money out of her pocket.

"So what do you two girls want?" The nice old ice cream lady said.

"One strawberry and vanilla ice cream, thanks!" Kaede said with a big smile on her face.

"Same for me." Sakura said and handed over some money.

"Keep the change."

They sat down under a big oak tree and started to eat the melting ice cream.

"So, maybe I should tell you the life of a ninja now?"

"Please do." Kaede answered with a curios look and some ice cream melting down on her fingers.

"Hm okay, it all started for real when I was about your age. The day I was divided in to my first team, team 7."

"Who were your team members? Who was your team leader?"

"Haha take it easy, I will tell you." She smiled and felt surprised over how much this girl reminded her of herself.

"My team members became Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha and Kakashi Hatake became our team leader."

"Wait a second, are you that Sakura? Sakura Haruno?"

"Yes, you've heard of me?"

"Of course, everybody knows about team 7! You were the first team that passed the copy-nins test right?"

"Yeah that's right, but we barley did." She laughed thinking back on that day.

"So how was it, being in the same team as three guys?"

"It was really great. Even if they sometimes treated me like a doll. But I was the weakest one of us, the most emotional. I really felt like a burden for the team time to times." She smiled a pale smile against Kaede and looked down at her hands.

That was actually still the case. It didn't matter how much she improved, they all still surpassed her.

"Sure, maybe they are more powerful. But from what I have heard, you played a really big part in the whole team. You kept the team intact true many difficult situations. You are an excellent medical nin now and you can be there for your friends when they need you the most. I really admire that, and the fact that you manage to travel around with three men." Kaede laugh and looked up to Sakura.

It's weird how this girl makes me feel so good Sakura thought.

"So in the present time, I know that you aren't a team any more but are you still seeing each other?"

"Naruto is one of my closest friends, actually I was having lunch with him just before bumping in to you."

The smile on her face faded away before she continued to the next subject.

"It has been many years since the last time I saw Sasuke."

"Did you love him?" Kaede asked.

"Haha!" The thought of that even the kids these days knew about her childhood crush made her laugh out loud.

"I thought so at the time, but when you grow up you'll realizes what love is. And what I felt for Sasuke was nothing more than a young girls crush." She explained trying to hold back the laughter.

Kaede nodded at her,

"And how about Kakashi?"

Sakura looked at the girl, what should she say? Before she even really decided, she heard herself say:

"Actually, I really don't know for the moment where we have each other." Man, I should watch my tongue more carefully. But she really didn't know, they were more than friends but could it be more than that and stay that way?

"What do you mean by that?"

Sakura tried once more to laugh away the Kakashi subject.

"Enough about my old team. Don't you want to know about the things I am doing right now?" She said and ignored Kaedes wondering looks, and started to tell her about the last couple of months of training whit Tsunade and how much she had developed.

"Kaede!" A dark haired boy came running towards them.

"Takeo."

"Where have you been? Pakito and I have been looking everywhere after you!"

"I have just been sitting here with Sakura sempai. And I thought that you two didn't care about what I did or went"

"Of course we care, we are a team. Right?"

Sakura felt surprised. The boy in front of her knew exactly what it meant being on a team. Something she didn't have a clue about in his age.

"Come on, let's go back to the academy."

Kaede nodded and stood up,

"Thanks for everything sempai! I hope that we can talk again sometime."

"Of course we will. Good luck Kaede!"

"You to!"

And then the two of them were gone.

I have plans with Ino tonight, I better get home and start to get ready she thought and headed back to her house.

Kakashi sat alone in his apartment and held a number of Icha Icha in front of him. He hadn't worked through one single sentence the whole day. He had been too busy thinking of her. He felt so tired of thinking. He wanted so much more. He heard the phone ring. He didn't feel like talking to anyone, but the phone just keep ringing so he dragged his body over to the phone and answered.

"Yo."

"I started to wonder if you were still alive."

"You know Genma, when people don't answer their phone. They are probably not at home or they don't want to talk."

"Then I assume that you just came home then?"

Kakashi sighed and didn't answer his friend.

"So I just wondered if you would like to go out tonight?"

"I don't feel for seeing people right now."

"Even better, we can sit together and ignore the rest of the world and drink sake!"

"Has something happened Genma?"

"That was exactly the question that I wanted to ask you tonight. What a coincidence."

"Oh I knew that you had an ulterior motive."

"No it is not an ulterior motive. Only a lot of sake. Come on, it's my treat."

"That is a promise that you will regret later tonight."

"So you will be there?"

"Mm, I see you around 9pm at the ordinary place?"

"Fine, see you then."

And they hung up and Kakashi raised his gaze at the watch on the wall. Only 8.15pm, he stood up and started to walk towards the bath room.

Slowly he started to undress himself taking of one thing at the time until he stood there all naked.

He walked in to the shower and turned it on. Ice cold. He got goose bumps all over the body and started to shiver. The cold water made his body wake up and he felt a little bit better when he got out of the shower. He dried himself up and tied the towel around his hip and walked into the bedroom.

He took on a pair of boxers and some dark pants, a black shirt and his mask. He took his forehead protector and pulled it down over his left eye.

He looked at the watch, 8.37pm. He decided to take a walk in the fresh air before meeting Genma. It was a clear night and you could see every single star. This night reminded him of a night that took place a long time ago.

He and Sakura had been sitting on her roof and together been looking out in the night.

"_I don't know why. But as long as I can remember, I have always liked to look up at the stars and just look at them. It makes me feel comfortable and at home. Because whatever I am, I will always look up at the same sky. And when I'm far away from someone that I care about, It feels better to know that we are looking up at the same sky." She said looking up at the stars. "It has been in only one other situation when I have felt that feeling. And that is when I am around you Kakashi." She turned her head to the side and looked him in the eyes. _

"_Sakura." He whispered. He felt just the same. When he was around her, he felt whole. _

_They just lay there, looking up at the stars. Not as two individuals but as one. _

He heard them long before he saw them. Two voices, one not so much of a talker like the other one. Both of them laughed and helped each other to stand up. They weren't drunk. Just happy, or Ino were glad anyway. She just talked and talked and told Sakura jokes.

Kakashi jumped up in a tree and hid himself just before the two girls came around the corner.

He didn't feel like seeing Sakura when Ino was there. Knowing what a strange situation that would put them both in. But he couldn't help listening to the two of them talking.

"We will have so much fun tonight! It has been to long since the last time when we had a girls night out. You have been so strange lately Sakura."

"Thanks Ino, I like hanging out whit you to." She said making a funny face.

"Well, tonight we just must find our self some nice guy's to flirt with!"

"Haha Ino, you know what I have told you."

"So what? If I find some cuties I will force them on you." She said with a funny voice.

Sakura just shocked her head and putted her hand on her forehead.

She was so incredible beautiful walking down there and he needed to use all his will power to not go down there.

She looked up at the sky and smiled, her eyes wandered over to the tree where he was hiding. Even if he knew that she couldn't see him it felt like she knew that he was hiding there.

But the moment and the strange feeling disappeared just as fast as it had appeared.

Sakura and Ino soon disappeared out of sight and he jumped down to the ground and started to walk. Genma was probably waiting for him by now.

"Hey Kakashi, it's been awhile!" Said Genma the same second as came in sight.

"Yo."

"So I hope that you realize that I want to hear all the dirty details about your last mission." He said before walking in to the bar.

Kakashi sighed loud and said.

"Genma, you are starting to sound just like Naruto."

The bar that they had chosen was dark and crowded. The both men sat down in a corner and a waitress came up to them.

"Welcome to Kuro Bar! Would you like to order?"

"Yes, one big bottle of sake and two glasses please." Genma said without asking Kakashi.

"I will be right back with your order sir." And she turned around and walked away.

Kakashi looked around in the bar. They had been lucky to find a table when he saw how crowded the place really was. All of the sudden he recognized three faces. He turned around to Genma again.

"Azuma, Izumo and Shizune are sitting over there. Should we ask them to join us?"

"Why not?" Genma answered and the next minute he was standing by their table talking to them.

He returned whit the others and when everybody had said hello to each other Azuma opened his mouth.

"Maybe we should ask for a room in the back. I know the owner of this place so I can go and talk to him."

Everybody nodded and saw him go over to the bar. After some minuets they saw him walk across the room and open a door waving for them to come and join him.

When Kakashi entered the room he was surprised over how nice and cozy the room was. Big pillows was scattered on the floor to sit on and a low large table placed in the center was filled with countless sake bottles and glasses.

"Oh, You have surpassed yourself this time Azuma!" Izumo said and sat down in the corner. Just when everybody had settle down there was someone knocking on the door.

"It looks like everybody want to be in here tonight." Shizune whispered to Kakashi who didn't move a muscle.

"Hello everybody. You don't mind if we join you?" Naruto said and walked in followed by Hinata, Kiba, Tentenn and Shikamaru.

"Please let yourself in." Azuma answerd.

It didn't take long before the influence of the alcohol started to make it's presence known.

Kiba and Shizune had started a drinking competition and everybody sat and cheered for them.

Closest to the door Kakashi and Genma sat across to each other. Suddenly they started to laugh at each other.

"Not much of closing the world out tonight hu?" Genma said between the laughers and drank out of his glass.

"Not much." Kakashi agreed and filled his glass with some more sake from the bottle.

When Sakura came home, she filled up the bathtub with warm water and sank her body down in it. She felt the warm water against her skin and just relaxed. She lay their until she heard her phone ring.

It took much will power to get up from the tub and answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey friend!"

"Ino."

"What are you doing?"

"I was in the bath Ino, getting ready for tonight."

"Okay, I am just calling about that. What are you planning to wear tonight?"

"I don't know. I haven't decided yet."

"Good, then I will come over with the perfect dress!"

"Ino really, you don't need to…"

"It wasn't a question. I will come over around 8pm."

"Okay, I'll see you then."

"Bye."

"Bye Ino."

I should eat something before. Hm I wonder what I have in my fridge.

She eat some soup and looked at her watch, Ino should be her any second.

And just then, she heard that someone knock on the door.

"Hey!" Ino said and hugged her friend.

"Hey!" Sakura answered and responded to the hug.

"Here it is!" Ino said and held up a dark blue dress with some gold details.

Sakura admitted too herself, the dress did look outstanding.

"Ino, I can't possibly wear that! It's too beautiful for me!"

"Shut up. It's like it's made for you Sakura!" Ino smiled.

"Try it on." She said and gave her the dress.

The fabric felt cool and nice and when she had put it on, it felt like a second skin.

"Just like I said, prefect. Come let me put some make up on you."

After an half an hour they were ready to go.

When they had walked some blocks Sakura watched the sky and thought about an old memory that contained her and Kakashi sitting on a roof. Her eyes looked down at a tree and she could swear that there was somebody there. She was on her guard until they rounded the next street corner and she soon forgot about it.

"So where do you want to go?" Ino asked.

"I don't care, just bring me some sake!"

"Fine, but I wonder where Genma is. He said that he was going to go out today."

"What? Are you interested in Genma?! Why haven't you told me?" Sakura looked whit big eyes at her friend.

"It's just a flirt. You know me, I don't do the whole relationship thing."

"So what do you want from him then?"

"Sakura hello? He is so hot, haven't you notice?! God, you're so innocent!"

"Well, he is pretty handsome…"

"Yes he is, and now I wonder where he's hiding."

"Hey Ino, when we are on the subject. What do you think about age differences in relationships?"

"It depends on how old the guy is… And how rich."

"Ino!"

"Haha okay, hm I think maybe 15 years is my maximum limit. But if I really falls in love whit an older guy, the age wouldn't matter to me."

"Okay, I think I feel the same."

"But why do you ask? Do you have an older boyfriend that you are not telling me about?"

"Haha Ino." And they just walked pass Kuro bar.

"Should we go in here?" Sakura said trying to change the subject.

"Fine with me. I will go and find the owner and ask if Genma is here."  
Sakura waited by the bar disk for Ino to look up the bar owner.

A man sat down next to her.

"Hey cutie!"

"Not interested." She just said and saw Ino coming back from the other end of the room.

"We are so lucky, they are all here sitting in a room in the back!"

"All?"

"Yes, at least it sounded like it."

"Okay, should we go?"

They got to room and Ino raised her hand and knocked twice.

Once more there was someone knocking on the door to the little room in the back of the bar, but Kakashi didn't notice. The event in the corner caught his attention and he laugh. Shizune was going to lose in a drinking contest. And if he wasn't witness it himself, he would never believe it. He didn't notice Genma standing up and walking to opening the door.

He didn't notice anything before he felt someone sitting down next to him and how a leg rested next to his.

He turned his head and met a pair of jade colored eyes.

"You're here."

"Yeah, I'm here."

No one else seemed to notice the two human beings sitting really close to each other looking into each other's eyes.

Ino was already sitting little too close to Genma and both of them drank out of a sake bottle.

Everybody in the room seemed to being under the influence of alcohol but Kakashi had never felt this sober.

"How do you feel now Sakura? Do you still feel insecure when it comes to me?"

She looked at him. There was nothing in this world that she wanted more than to be with him. And the barrier that had been there and stopping her from going near him was all gone.

"Can we go over to your place?" She finally said.

He just stood up and took her hand in his and helped her up on her feet. Together they walked out of the bar and left the group without anyone noticing them. When they walked out on the empty streets, he turned around facing her.

Without any hesitation he let his arms embrace her and pulled her against his body. She let her hands slide up over his back and up into his hair. She let her fingers play with his hair. Their bodies fit perfectly together. She let go of all the tension from the last couple of days and tears filled her eyes.

"Don't ever leave me like that again." She whispered out in the night and the tears started to flow down her face.

"I will never let go of you." He whispered holding her closer.

How long they stood there no one knows. But eventually he lightened his grip around her and he looked at her face and raised his arms and laid his hands on both of her cheeks. He stroke away her tears with his thumbs and smiled at her.

"Shall we?" He said and without waiting for an answer he took her hand in his and started walking.

They walked the whole way without saying a word, when they arrived at his apartment and closed the door behind he turned around and faced her.

"So what do you want to do?"

"Can't we just lay down? I just want to be near you." She answered without looking at him. She felt so shy and naked. It has been so long since the last time it felt this good between them.

"Okay." He didn't want to rule everything by going too fast but he would do anything she asked him to do.

He led her to the bedroom. She started to pull down the zipper of the dress. He turned around to give her some privacy. This was all a bit awkward. He heard the sound of the fabric falling down on the floor. He heard her footsteps and felt her hands grabbing the bottom of his shirt and he raised his arms so she could pull it off.

He then turned around and watched her standing in front of him in only her underwear. The room was dark lighted so he couldn't see her face, but he could see the contours of her body. His body shivered and he felt the last years desire rise to the surface.

He pulled down his pants and rose his left hand up to his face.

She couldn't see any difference but she understood that he had taken off his mask.

He grabbed her and pulled her down with him on to the bed.

His worm naked skin wormed up her body that has been cold so long. He held her and she pressed herself against him. He felt an incredible desire for her but he refused to destroy this.

"Kakashi, I don't want to…" She started but he interrupted her before she got the opportunity to finish.

"I know, we won't be doing that, not today." She looked at him, even if she couldn't see his face she knew that he was looking back at her.

She leaned forwards and kissed him passionately. The last years feelings where gathered in this single kiss and when their lips separated they both took a deep breath.

"Wow, that made it worth waiting." He said.

"So what you are saying is that under this year we have been apart, you haven't been with anyone else?" Her hart stood still. She wanted him to say it so badly.

"No, not once. You?"

"No, I have just been thinking about you."

"Oh, I have missed you so much." He pulled her against him and inhaled her sentence, a mix of peach and spring flowers.

"I have missed you too"

Soon they lied asleep in each other's arms.

The next morning when Sakura woke up she saw the back of his neck and how his white hair almost glowed in the morning light. She moved his arm that lay on her stomach to the side. Gently she dropped her toes on to the cold floor and walked over and picked up her dress . She put it on pretty fast and turned around and watched the man lying in the bed. His face was turned away from her and she really needed to strain herself for not go over and look at him.

She opened the door. A creaking sound came from it, Shit.

"Are you just going to leave without saying anything?" She heard him say.

"I must go home and take care of some stuff before a lunch meeting with Tsunade. I didn't want to wake you up." She answered him whiteout turning around.

"Okay, I'll see you tonight?"

"Yeah, pick me up at 6pm and we can eat dinner together. Bye!"

"Bye Sakura."

And then she walked out in the corridor and out through the corridor and the outer door.

He had been awake long before she had. He had just laid there, listening to her breathing. When it suddenly changed he knew that she had woken up. He lay still and felt how she moved his arm. He heard the sound of her toes against his floor and how she got dressed.

They talked before she took off and he didn't move a millimeter before he heard the outer door close.

He went up to the window and watched the pink haired woman disappear around the corner. What should he do between now and their meeting tonight?

He looked at the watch, still early. He went back to bed and soon he was asleep once more.

A/N: So the second chapter updated, uploaded and published. I will take care of the next chapter tomorrow hopefully! Btw have you seen the picture I drew based on this story?


	3. Hanging by a moment

**Chapter**** 3 – Hanging by a moment **

Sakura walked down the empty street. The clock showed a couple of minutes passed 6 and the sun rise was near. She could hear far distance voices that started to get closer and she felt curies and wondered who it could be.

When she came around the corner she saw three of her friends from the night before. The all looked a bit messed up and nobody seemed to be able to walk straight.

"Sakuraa! Ino look its Sakura!" Genma said with a strange voice and one arm around

a drunk Izumo.

Ino who walked on the other side of Genma recognized Sakura and started to run towards her friend.

"Saaakuraa!" She yelled just before she fell down in front of Sakuras feet.

Sakura just shooked her head and helped her drunken friend up on her feet.

"Ino, don't tell me that you have been out until now drinking?" She said and looked at the giggling blond woman.

Ino didn't answer her, she just laugth.

"I will take over from here you two." Sakura said to the two men.

"Nooo Sakura! Genma has promised me that I am going to sleep in his bead!" A childish Ino said and started to hit her playfully in the side.

"Maybe that is a good idea Sakura." Genma laughs also under the influence of alcohol.

"Buhu! Sakura, he doesn't like me! Why doesn't he like me?!" Ino said and started to pull her friends arm.

Sakura shocked her head once more and started to walk down the street with a arm around her friends shoulder.

"Se you later!" She said without looking back at the two men who was staring at their backs.

"Hey Izumo, what do you think Sakura was doing out doors this early considers that she were out last night?"

Sakura turned around the key in the looker and entered the house. Her parents had transferred the house to her when they had decided to retire and move out to the country side.

She liked living on her own. Obvious, she missed her parents sometimes but she can se them whenever she likes. So she preferred to live alone. It is so much easier.

She helped Ino to the bead, pulled of her shoes and laid a blanket over her.

"I think you should lie down and sleep it off." She said quietly to her friend.

It had taken a long time to get her home, she had persisted to stop every other stepp.

Sakura looked at the clock, 07:14am. I can sleep some hours before i have to get ready. She thought and lay down in the bed next to her friend.

She opened her eyes and looked around in the bright room. 11.23 am, oh no! She jumped out of bead. Now I have to hurry if I want to get there in time. She thought the same second that she pulled of her dress.

"Oh, my head." Ino groaned and pulled up the blanket over her head.

"That's how it goes when you stay out all night drinking." Sakura laughed and started to walk towards the bathroom.

"Do you know what happened last night? I can't remember that much. Only small peaces, but I remember you. I guess that you where there whit me, how could I otherwise be here now?" Ino said under the blanket.

"We can talk later. I must go and shower now, I have a meeting with Tsunade later. But you can stay here as long as you like."

Ino just mumbled an answer and turned around in the bed.

Sakura closed the bathroom door behind her.

What would she tell her friend about last night? She knew that if she told her where she had spent the night, Ino would command her to tell her everything else also. On the other side, she would never find out if she lied. She didn't remember anything after all.

Sakura decided to put that problem aside for the moment and stepped in under the warm weather. Her thoughts wandered back to his bed and his body next to hers. Why did she necessary have to leave so early? She didn't have anything to do before her meeting. So why did she do it? She just stood there, under the warm water. And she couldn't find one good reason. _I am so childish. _She decided to apologize to him later and she started to think about what Tsunade could possibly want to talk about.

Maybe it' about training? Or a special mission?

She turned of the water and grabbed a towel. When she was all dried up she pulled the towel around her body and went back to her room.

Ino laid in the bed snoring and Sakura didn't even bother to give her a thought.

She walked to the closet and looked after something to wear.

When she had gotten dressed, done her hair and eaten a sandwich she left the house and started to walk.

"Sempai!"

She turned around and saw Kaede waving and running to her. She had a big smile on her face.

"Hi Kaede, how are you?"

"I am just fine, and you?" Kaede answered and started to walk on Sakuras left side.

"Same here."

"Where are you going sempai?"

"I have a meeting with Tsunade in a few minutes. And please, you don't have to call me sempai. Sakura works just fine."

"But I like to call you sempai."

Sakura grimaced about this but didn't say anything an Kaede continued the conversation.

"What are you going to at the Hokage?"

"I don't know, she hasn't told me anything. She just told me to be at her office today at noon."

"Okay, you must tell me everything later. I am in a bit of hurry, my team is expecting me at the training area."

"Do you have a team leader now?"

"No, but Izumo-sempai is helping us with the training for now. Se ya later!" Kaede said before despairing.

Sakura stood outside Tsunades door and knocked at it twice.

"Enter." She could hear someone answer her and she opened the door.

"Oh Sakura, just in time."

"Hello Tsunade-sama."

Sakura walked trough the room and sat down on one of the chairs that stood in front of the blonde woman's desk.

"I do not have so much time so I am going straight to the point." Tsunade said and leaded forwards over the desk. Sakura just nodded as an answer.

"Sakura, I think it is time for you to join a team once more."

Sakura couldn't help to not be surprised. She had been working directly under Tsunade in a couple of years now and she had prepared to do that in the future to.

"You looked surprised?" Tsunade said while studying her face.

"I just thought that I was needed here. Isn't Tsunade-sama pleased with my work?"

"I am werry pleaced with you, and your work. You are actually one people that I realy can trust and rely on. And it is just because of that, that I want you to do this. So that you can improve yourself."

Sakura looked at her master and a thought slipped her mind.

"What about a reunion of team Kakashi?" She asked and looked at the blond woman.

"I don't think that is a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Well, you and Naruto are ready to go. But I think that Kakashi isn't."

"What do you mean by that?" What the hell was she talking about? Sakura felt a bit confused.

"He just got back from a long mission and besides, he is not so young any more. He deserves some time to settle down and start a family."

Sakura froze and Tsunade saw it. Luckily she misunderstood the reason of the freezing and continued.

"Don't look at me like that. There are plenty of alternative team members out there."

"But isn't it up to Kakashi if he wants to join the team or not?" Sakura tried.

"Well, I know that if you asked him. He would answer yes, even if that isn't the best deal for him. That is just the nature of Kakashi."

"I don't think so and besides, we have all worked together for so long. It would be the ultimate team!"

"Oh Sakura, what do I have to say to make you understand. I didn't plan to tell you this but it doesn't look like i have a choice." Tsunade looked out the window for a moment.

"After his latest mission, he told me that in the following year he didn't want to go out on any missions at all. Just because he needed to be in the village, for some one."

Sakura opened her moth and closed it again. Tsunade misunderstood this act just like before and continued.

"So now you understand Sakura. It is better if you find yourself another team formation. And stick to that."

Sakura just remained silent for the moment.

"Contact me when you have find your team members. Which wound be so hard consider all the good nins in this land." Sakura nodded and stood up. She started to walk but stopped and said.

"I'm still going to ask Kakashi." And then she leaved the room.

Tsunade just shooked her head.

Sakuras head was filled up whit thoughts. _It is because of me. _It has to be that, I am the reason that Kakashi refuses to go out on any missions. How could I ever be so selfish?

She continued to think about the fact that she had ignored his feelings the whole time on her way home.

Ino had already left and the house was quiet and empty.

Still hours until down and their date. What should I do now? She asked herself and closed the door behind her.

He woke up by the knocking on the door. _Oh why cant people leave me alone? _He thought and slipped into a pair of pants. He took his mask and pulled it over his head the same time as walking down the corridor. He yawned and turned the handle and opened the door.

"Don't tell me that you were sleeping!"

"What about it? Am I not allowed to do that?" Kakashi said and stretched himself.

"Haha, It is in the middle of the day you know?"

"So? Everybody can't be like you Genma."

"Haha, that's right."

"So what brings you here today then?" Kakashi looked at his friend.

"I was wondering if you would like to go and eat some lunch with me. But maybe you prefer sleeping?"

"Okay, give me a second to get some cloths." Kakashi started to walk back to his bedroom and Genma walked in to the apartment and closed the door.

Kakashi started to pick out some cloths and Genma sat down in the couch and looked around.

"Hey Kakashi?" he called.

"Yeah?"

"There is something that I have wanted to ask you for some time now."

"What is it?"

"What is your opinion in age, when it comes to dating?"

_What is he saying? _Does he know? Kakashi thought.

"What do exactly you mean Genma?"

"I mean, how many years apart do you think it's okay for a couple?"

Kakashi felt his pulse rise a bit. What was the right answer to this question?

"Well, I don't know really. I don't think that this sort of things need to have a age line. If you understand?"

"Yeah but just say it, for example. Is fifteen years to mush? I mean, that would mean a huge difference in experience in all arias."

"Ehm, well. I really don't have a good answer to you."

"Common, just tell me. Is it okay or not?" Genma said with an annoyed voice, what was Kakashi up to? He seemed some how almost nervous. _Strange,_ Genma thought.

"Well, okay. I think its okay. But where did this question come from?" Kakashi said full-dressed and started to walk to the living room.

"Oh, never mind. Are you done?" Genma said and stood up ready to go.

"Yeah, let's go." And together the both men walked out to the street.

Kakashi was almost certain, Genma knew. But that wasn't the case, Genma had been asking these question in a personal purpose. It was about him and a particular blond girl that he has started to grow feelings for.

The street was full of people and they meet several people that they knew.

"Kakashi! Genma!" Izumo said and walked towards them.

"Hello!"

"Yo."

"So you have also recovered from last night huh?" Izumo said smiling at them.

"More or less." Genma said with a small laughter.

"What are you two going to do now then?"

"We were just about going and grab some lunch."

"Oh, you would not mind if I join you would you? I am really starving!" Izumo said.

"Of course, you didn't have to ask."

The three men started to walk down the street looking after a restaurant.

Genma soon spotted one of his favorites and they all walked in.

When they had entered the restaurant a young girl came up to them.

"Welcome to Atsui Meshi! A table for three?"

"Yes, in a corner please." Genma said and the girl showed them the way to a nice table in the back. The three men sat down and the girl handed out the menus.

"May I take your orders?"

They all said what they wanted to eat and the girl left the table.

"So what have you tow been up to since the last time I saw you?" Izumo said and looked at his friends.

"Well, I didn't come home before 6am this morning. So I just went to bed the same time I got home." Genma said whit a big smile.

"You must be kidding, no way that you could be out drinking for so long and now sit here whiteout a sign of a hangover!" Izumo said.

"Well, I guess some people are lucky."

"Yeah, that's the least you can say about it. Right Kakashi?" Izumo turned his face towards his other friend and waited for an answer.

"Who said that I wasn't one of the lucky ones?" He answered in his usual I-don't-care kind of way.

Genma laughed and Izumo just stared.

"How do you do to act so fucking cool all the time!" He said with an upset voice.

Kakashi didn't bother to answer him and before Izumo had the chance to say something else, the waitress sat down three hot bowls, three glasses and a bottle on the table.

"Would you like something else?" The girl asked holding the empty tray.

"No thanks." Kakashi said whiteout looking at her and she walked away.

"So lets change subject, do anyone have any gossip to tell?"

"Oh Genma you sounds like a woman!" Izumo said and blinked his eyes.

"And you are so childish!"

"Hey guys stoop arguing. I don't want to hear this." Kakashi said bored at his friends. Why couldn't they come along just once, is it to much to ask for?

Being in this situation reminded him of old times, when he, Sakura and Naruto used to go out on missions together. Naruto and Sakura had times to times act like arguing siblings. He smiled when he remembered all those memories. They were really good, those memories. He missed those old times when it was just the three of them against the world.

In team 7 he had been their pattern. But in team Kakashi, they had becoming equals after some time. It was just like he being their teacher one day and their friend the next.

Some small fragments of an old memory started to come up in his head.

_It __all had started in the days between the spring and the summer. The weather had been worm for several of weeks and you could stay out the whole night whiteout catching a cold. _

_Just like they used to, __team Kakashi had been training on the evening because of the heat of the day. It had been an extra hard training session__and they all had lied down in the grass to catch their breath. _

_Naruto__ stood up and turned around._

"_I better get moving. Se ya tomorrow?"_

"_Yeah." Sakura answered whiteout taking her eyes of the stars above. He just lied quietly, looking out in the night. He didn't hear his two team mates talking._

"_Are you listening?" Suddenly broke through the silence and he turned around his head._

"_What is it?" He didn't notice that Naruto was gone and he barely looked at her saying it._

"_I have been talking to you and you haven't even paid me any attention. Thanks." She turned her head back to the stars._

"_Oh I am sorry, I was caught up in my thoughts and didn't hear you. By the way, where did Naruto go?"_

"_He went home for about ten minuets ago. You are really slow, you know." If you just could be this slow in fighting to, and then maybe I could have a chance against you she thought. _

"_Just like I said, I wasn't paying you to attention."_

"_If you say so."_

_They lied quiet together, looking up at the stars. He got back to his own thoughts that actually involved the pink haired girl next to him._

_He couldn't remember when it all had started, these feelings that in his subconscious had been growing for so long. They had just started to touch the surface and he was afraid. Was he allowed to feel like this? Could she ever be able to feel the same? Would she want to feel the same?_

_Their relationship had under the last couple of months had been growing and he was not quite sure on where they stand. _

_Nothing had happened, it was just the little things like joking around whit each other. Their long conversations they use to have time to times. _

_It had to be more than just friendship, she and Naruto didn't act like this. They were more like relatives, they knew where they had each other._

_He also knew where he had Naruto. He was like a little brother, who came to him every time he needed some advice or just talk. He was simply a friend. But what about Sakura? Did she see him like a friend, or maybe even more? _

"_Are you done thinking now?" Her voice was quiet but he could hear her very clear._

"_For the moment, yes."_

"_What were you thinking about?"_

"_Just thinking in general. Nothing particular." _

"_Okay."_

"_To you want to play a game?" She said and turned to the side._

"_Aren't we to old for games?" What was she up to?_

"_Not this game. The rules are simple, I ask a question and you answer it. And then you ask a question, well you get the idea."_

"_Fine, go ahead and start."_

"_Hm, this was bad. I don't know what to ask." She blushed and he smiled seeing it._

"_Just ask the first thing that comes up in your head."_

"_Okay, are you ticklish?"_

"_What kind of question is that?" He laughed._

"_You said the firs thing that comes up."_

"_Fine, but I wonder how many people that is going around and thinks about that." He said whit an ironic voice._

"_Just answer the question."_

"_I guess that you will have to figure it out by yourself."_

_She looked at him whit big eyes and to his surprise she sat up and crawled over to him. _

_And whiteout a warning she started to tickle him on the side. He didn't move a muscle even if it actually did tickle a bit. _

"_You are so boring, you didn't even laugh a bit."_

"_Boring__ you say?" And then in one single move that was so fast that Sakura barely were aware of it, he sat on top of her and was tickling her. She laughed like never before and she had tears in her eyes. _

"_Haha, stop it! I'm dying." And thanks to her lithe body she managed to flip him over and by that, they came a little bit to close to the hill side and they started to roll down. When they came down they lied on top of each other laughing. He held her both wrists in his hands so that she couldn't tickle him and he looked in to her eyes._

"_My question now." He said it with a serious voice._

"_Just ask."_

_He took a deep __breath and opened his mouth. _

"_Were do we stand, you and me?" He could hear his own heartbeat and he __was sure that if he just listens carefully, he would be able to hear hers to._

"_I am not quite shore what you mean…"_

"_Yes you are, what does this mean to you?"_

_She didn't answer him, had he crossed a line that shouldn't be crossed? He let go of her hands and sat up. She followed his move and sat up next to him._

"_I am sorry…" He said whiteout knowing why. _

_Her hand grabbed his and he looked at her. She smiled._

"_Don't be."_

"Hey Kakashi, you have been unusual quiet today. Is something wrong?" Genma said waking him up from his thoughts.

"Oh, sorry. I was caught up in my own thoughts."

The two men seemed pleased with the answer, or they didn't ask anything more about it anyway.

Kakashi joined the conversation they had about a team that Genma had been helping the last couple of days because they didn't have any team leader.

"Hey Kakashi, you would be the perfect leader for them!"

"Why do you think so?" Kakashi said and raised a eyebrow.

"You would find the team members, two boys and one girl very much alike a team that we all know. Especially you." Even if Kakashi weren't interested of becoming team leader, ha couldn't help being curios of this team.

"Why don't you come along and watch them train today. I am going there right now, I just going to finish my meal."

"Okay, I can just watch." _Why not_. It would make the time go a little bit faster, hopefully.

They ate up their meal and said goodbye to Izumo and started to walk.

When they got to the training area they saw two boys waiting under a tree.

"Is those boys them?"

"Yeah, I wonder where their team mate are." Genma said and walked over to the boys.

"Hey! This is Hatake Kakashi." Genma said and swept his arm in front of Kakashi.

"Wow, you mean the copy nin?!" One of the boys said with a loud voice and a pair of big eyes. _Naruto._

"How many Hatake do you think there is?" The other boy said without looking at him. _Sasuke._

Before anyone had a chance to say something else, they heard a voice calling.

"Hey!" A girl came running and stopped just in front of Genma.

"Sorry for being late." _Sakura._

They all reminded him so well of them. Not just in looks and appearance, but in the way they acted to. _Strange._

Kakashi sat down under a tree and studied the three genins. Genma gave them a task and then walked over to Kakashi.

"So what do you think?"

"There are some similarities I must admit but even you should know that I can't take this team."

The three genins looked at the two men talking under the tree.

"Hey, why do you think Genma-sensei brought that copy nin today?"

No body answered him and Kaede started to think. What was it now that Sakura had said that day?

"_And how about Kakashi?"__ She asked her._

"_Actually, I really don't know for the moment where we stand."__Sakura answered._

"_What do you mean by that?" Kaede didn't understand anything at all._

Genma looked at him and Kakashi turned his head away and looked over at the genins.

"Maybe you should tell them to start? They are just standing there looking like idiots."

Genma turned around yelled.  
"Just because I wasn't looking doesn't mean that you can take a break. Five extra laps for each one of you!"

Kakashi stayed the whole afternoon, just watching the others train. When it started to get late he stood up and told Genma that he had a meeting and had to go.

He walked down the streets heading home, it was about an hour left until their meeting. Just enough time to get done he thought and closed the door behind.


	4. I’m falling even more in love with you

**Chapter**** 4 – I'm falling even more in love with you **

Sakura spent most of her afternoon in her apartment. She hadn't done anything special, she had tried to call Ino several of times but there were no answering. _Oh, Why did everything have to__ bee so complicated right now?_ She thought and sat down in the sofa with a cup of tea in her hand.

Just when she was about to take a zip, a knock on the door broke the silence in the apartment. _Who could it be?_

She opened the front door and saw her friends smiling face.

"Naruto, what a surprise!"

"Hey Sakura, I was in the neighborhood and decided to drop by."

"Do you want to stay on a cup of tea? I was just about to take one myself."

"Okay."

Naruto walked in to the apartment and Sakura closed the door behind. He sat down at sofa and she walked to the kitchen to get a cup for him.

She put down the cup on the table in front of him an sat down on the other side.

"Naruto, I have a feeling that you didn't just happened to come here today."

"Why do you sound so suspicious, can't I just drop by with out a reason?"

"Well of course but you do have a reason, don't you?"

"Actually not, I just wanted to se how you were doing. You have changed during the last cuple of months."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we have talked about this before… That you have been unhappy."

"Naruto…" Sakura looked at her friend.

"No wait, let me finish. What I'm saying is that you used to look so unhappy. But now, well I just keep on getting this feeling that you are confused. Are you?"

"Well, maybe."

"What is happening to you? Tell me, I can help."

It wasn't the first time that they had talked about this. He had several of times during the past year asked her about how she feels. But of course she hadn't been able to tell him about Kakashi, and how her feelings for him had messed up her hart. And that it was he returning from his mission that had made her so confused that she didn't know what to do anymore.

It suddenly became very clear for Sakura how obvious the problem was showed in front of her friends. Especially Naruto, which she use to see so often. It couldn't take a genius to figure it out based on the way that she acted.

Had he found out? Did Naruto know? She looked at him.

"Naruto, what do you think it is?" Her voice was quiet and she didn't look him in the eyes.

"I don't know, that's why I'm asking you."

Maybe he didn't know, but he probably had his suspicions. And Kakashi must be involved in some of them if not all.

"Naruto, you must stop worrying about me. Im fine, and from this point. I am just going to get better." she smiled.

"Are you sure that you are fine?"

"Yes, I am!"

He had a weird look on his face and he didn't look like he believed her but he left the subject for now and continued with questions about her meeting with Tsunade.

"So what did the old hag want?"

"Well, she thought that it would be a good idea if I joined a team again."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah." She decided that this was the right time to ask him.

"Hey Naruto, wouldn't it be great if we could have a reunion of team Kakashi?"

He looked surprised at her with a opened mouth.

"That would be… Awesome!"

"Do you really think so?"

"Yeah! It would be like back in the old times!"

"Naruto!" Sakura said and throve herself around his neck.

"Ey Sakura." Naruto said laughing.

When they finally sat down at their sets again Naruto continued.

"Have you already talked to Kakashi?" He asked with his exited voice.

"No, you are the first person after Tsunade that I am telling this to."

"What did she say about it?"

What should she tell him? The truth about that Tsunade had told her earlier? She choused the easy way.

"She said that I should ask the two of you, and that's what I'm doing and going to do."

They continued to talk and the time just flew by.

"Do you want to go out and grab something to eat? I'm starving." He asked.

Her hart stopped for a second and she looked at the watch.

"Ehm, I already have dinner plans. But maybe another time?" Kakashi should be there within a half un hour. _I have to get Naruto out of her, now_! She thought and got up.

"I think its best if you leave now, its time for me to get ready."

"Fine." Naruto didn't even try to hide his disappointment and got up on his legs to.

What happened after that is all in a blur. She went to take a shower, she put some extra effort in her looks and Kakashi came right on time to pick her up.

They ate their dinner without talking about anything patricianly, just the usual stuff. After he had paid the waitress, they walked out and he said with a natural voice.

"Looks like it's about to rain."

Sakura looked up at the sky and a drop of water fell down at her forehead and the second later the sky opened up and the water just pour down.

"Should I go and look for an umbrella?"

"Are you kidding me? I love the rain." She laughed and walked out in the street and her face turned up at the sky with closed eyes.

He walked after her and took her hand.

"You are crazy!"

"That is something that you'll have to learn to live with." She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Let's run, even if I do love the rain. I don't like to catch a cold right now."

And they ran, they ran through the pools of water and they ran away from all their problems. It was just the two of them in the world. The two of them, and the pouring rain.

They stopped for a second under a tree.

"That was great!" He said and smiled and laid his arms around her.

"I told you so."

He genteelly kissed her. She looked so beautiful with her wet hair falling down covering half of her face.

"Are you coming with me home?" He asked.

"I would love to."

She took his hand and they continued their way home. When they entered his hallway their entire bodies was soaked up. Kakashi went directly to the bathroom to get some towels.

Sakura walked to one of the windows and looked out at the rain.

When he got back to the room he saw her standing by the window.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Just looking out at the world. It is so peaceful. It is almost like the world has stopped when it rains."

She looked so unbelievable beautiful and he felt an incredible desire for her.

He dropped the towels and walked up to her. He stopped right behind her and let his hands rest on her hips.

"You know that you are going to catch a cold if you don't take of your wet cloths." He whispered into her ear.

"You shouldn't say anything. You're as wet as I am."

His grip around her hip hardened and she could feel his warmth against her body. She had to concentrate just to not shiver.

_I wonder__ what he could do if he just moved his hands, if I feel like this when he just touches me, _She thought.

"It raining less now." She said and looked outside the window.

He just stood there without saying a single word, looking out with her. And then he opened his mouth.

"Can women feel that they sometimes want to sleep with someone so badly that they don't know what to do?"

She could feel her heartbeat in the entirely body.

"Yes."

He closed his arms around her and they were so close that she could hear him breathing.

"I want." He said.

"I want to sleep with you. I want it so badly that I don't know what to do."

She turned around and looked him in the eyes. Slowly, she started to pull down his mask.

Her head was empty of thoughts that didn't concern the man in front of her. The mask slowly slide down and she looked at his face. She took a deep breath.

His face was so beautiful, and some how timeless. His lips were smiling and she could se his white teethes.

"Say something." He looked at her, _what did she think about him?_

"Well, I could tell you how perfect you are. But I don't want your ego to get bigger." She smiled before sliding her hands up in his hair and then kissed him.

Their hands grope their way over each others bodies and they started to strip of each others clothes.

Some how, they got into the bedroom and laid down at the bed. Their naked bodies were warm of love and wet of the rain.

And so he penetrated her and everything in his life that didn't contain her shrunk down to nothing. They lost their track of time and he barely managed to feel her tense body before his own climax filled him up.

He laid down on top of her and just remained there without doing anything else than breathing. He finally felt able to move and rolled of her and laid on his back.

His worm hand laid over one of her breasts and the only sound he could hear was the rhythm in her fast breathing.

"Sakura?"

His voice broke the silence.

"Yes?" She answered and stood up on her elbow looking at him.

He was looking at her smiling.

"I really like you a lot you know."

She opened her mouth and then closed it again and just smiled.

"I already knew, but it feels good to hear you say it." She then leaned over and kissed him. When their lips finally got separated, she looked him in the eyes.

"I like you too Kakashi, more then anything." By saying this she kissed him once more and lay on top of him. After countless of kisses on every inch of their bodies, they fell asleep in each other arms.

When Sakura woke up the next morning she turned around and looked at him, just lying next to her in the morning light. And she started to think.

Is this really so realistic, it hadn't been possible to think straight last night. They had been forced to give up for their feelings but what about now, and tomorrow?

They had both confessed their feelings for each other. But had it just been something that they had been drawn in to in the moment? She rolled over to the side. What will happen now? She sat up and looked around after her clothes, they laid all over the floor, still all soaked up. She wrapped herself up in the sheet and walked over to the closet. She looked over to the bed, but he was still sleeping. She opened up one of the doors and looked at all the typical-Kakashi-wardrobe. She pulled out a sweater and a pair of pants and closed the door again. She then started to gather up all her things. _Unbelievable that he hasn't woken up yet._ She thought and walked out to the corridor and in to the bathroom. She really looked awful, her hair was a total mess and she didn't feel so fresh either. _I wonder if he will wake up if I take a shower?_ She thought and laid down the cloths on the floor and stepped in to the shower. Luckily, his shower didn't sound as much as hers but she tried to hurry and grabbed the soap next to the handle. She couldn't place the aroma from it but it smelled like he uses to do. Just the typical Kakashi smell. She shut of the water when she was done and got out of the shower. She grabbed one of towels that laid next to her and started to dry herself up. She looked around for a hair brush but she couldn't find one so she just pulled her fingers through her hair a couple of times and tied it up in a loose bun.

She started to put his clothes on, of course they were too big for her but she made them fit. She took her own wet clothes in her arms and with one last look in the room making shore that everything was on its place. She opened up the door and walked out in the hall again.

Instead of going back to the bead room, she followed the hallway in the opposite direction to get to the front door. She walked by the door to the living room and when she passed by the door opening to the kitchen, she saw something moving. _Shit._

"So are you planning to sneak out every time you are her?"

She turned her head around and with a weird smile on her lips.

"Ehm, well I just didn't want to wake you up. I feel like I should be heading home."

"Sakura?" He sat on one of the chairs, wearing only a pair of pants and with a cup in his hand. He looked at her.

"My clothes were all wet so I borrowed some of you, you will get them back later!" She started to walk towards the door.

"We will se each other later, okay?"

She were out of sight for him now and she heard how the chair scrape against the floor when he got up. She was just about closing the door when she heard him say.

"Sakura What are you doing?"

She disappeared in the same moment as he opened the door. And in her head were the same thoughts, _What am I doing?_

She changed to her own clothes the same second she got back to her bead room. Her head started to finally caught up with her body. She leaned back against the wall and slide down to the floor. She looked at the dark heap with clothes on her bead.

_Wh__y am I running? What is it that I'm running from? I slept with Hatake Kakashi!_ Her head were so filled up with thoughts that she barely manage to keep them separated. _I need to get away, to think about this. Yes, that is what I need to do. _She stood up and started to walk and after some minuets she was standing outside Tsunades office.

She knocked and then entered.

"Sakura What are you doing here?" Tsunade looked a bit surprised when she looked up from the papers on her desk.

"Tsunade-sama. I would like to ask you for a favor."

"Yes?"

"Can you please send me out on a mission?"

"Well yes I could, but why? Is something wrong?"

"No, I just feel that I need to get away."

"Okay, Well I have one mission here. But I don't know if you are the right person to take it."

"What is it?"

"Well, There is a team that doesn't have a leader jet. Genman has been taking care of them but he hasn't been able to go out on any longer missions because of his other tasks."

"Oh so it is chunins? I can handle them! And that would mean an easy mission that doesn't need much of brain activity."

"Yes, but you'll still be responsible for them. And it sounds more like you are asking for a vacation than a mission."

"No, please Tsunade-sama. I need this!"

"Fine. The team doesn't have a name yet but it will temporary be called team Sakura. Here is the file for them all." She handed over some papers and Sakura looked at the files. It was Kaede Minamoo, Takeo Aoki and Pakito Yamamoto.

"Oh."

"What is it Sakura?"

"I know them. Or, well I have talked to them a couple of times."

"That's good."

"So what is the mission?"

"Here." Tsunade gave her another paper and then continued.

"It is a D rank mission. You are just going to the hidden village of water and deliver this."

She opened one of the desks drawers and showed her a little box.

"In the land of water, there is a young duchess who's birthday is coming up. And she is really finicky when it comes to this sort of things. And Konoha likes to retain our good relationship intact. "

"Oh, a duchess? It sounds fun."

"Yeah, but remember to teach the youngsters something on the way." They both smiled at each other.

"So, do you think we can leave today?"

"Well, its up to them. I think that they are at the training areas with Genma."

"I will go and find them then. And by the way, if anyone asks where i am. Just say that I am out on a secret mission or something. I don't want Naruto coming running after me." _Not Naruto, Kakashi._

"Oh, so it is him you are hiding from?" Tsunade laughed.

"No, im hiding from the whole Konoha."

"Okay, whatever you say. Good luck with it. I will se you in a week."

Sakura started to walk to the door. When she just was about to close the door behind Tsunade said something.

"You can't run from your problems?"

"I know." _I know it to well_. She closed the door behind and headed out to find her new team.

And she found them at the training area, just like Tsunade had told her. Genma was the first one to spot her.

"Hey Sakura-san! What are you doing here?"

"A mission."

"For me?" He asked.

"No, them." She said and looked at the three kids that were playing around with some jutsu.

"Oh, so they have a leader now?"

"Just a temporary."

"Who is it then?"

"It's me."

Genman looked a bit surprised by hearing this but then smiled.

"So you are acting Sensei now huh?"

"Hehe yeah. But I can't stay and chatting with you all day. We are leaving today."

"So you are stealing my students during practice?"

"Technically are they my students now."

"Fine, lets go and tell them."

They walked over to the three and they stooped med what they were doing.

"Sakura-sensei!" Kaede said with a happy smile.

"Oh, she is already living in to the role of being your student huh?" Genman said and looked at Sakura.

"What do you mean sensei?" Takeo said.

"Yeah, What do you mean?" Pakito said.

"I am going to be your team leader in the nearest future and we are going out on a mission." Sakura said and looked at the three faces.

"Really? A mission!" Pakito said.

"Yeah, I heard it is your first."

"Yes, when are we leaving sensei?!" Kaede said with an exited voice.

"Today."

"Today?!" The three of them said.

"Yes, I will give you two hours from now to get your equipment. And then we meet at the front gate."

They all nodded.

"I will go over the mission later. Are there any questions?"

No one said anything and she continued.

"Okay, se you soon. Don't bee late. If you are, we will leave without you and you will never be able to go out on a mission again." She probably ruined the serious effect by smiling but she didn't care.

The three youngsters started to get moving and she and Genma started to walk together heading back to the village.

"Exited?"

"Not really, it's not like its my first mission or anything."

"I know what you mean, I remember my first mission. What a disappointment. It didn't happened anything at all. How about you?"

"Oh, my first real mission? Well we got attacked, and I guess that if Kakashi hadn't been there. Then I wouldn't have been here now."

"Do you know what that means?" Genma asked.

"No?"

"That those three kids life's lies in your hands from now on."

"I am well aware of that."

"Good, you should bee."

They didn't say much more until they came in to town.

"I will se you around then." She said and waved him off.

"Yeah, bye!"

Sakura went home and started to gather up her things. She looked at her bead, slowly she walked over to it and grabbed the shirt. She didn't know why but she put it down in her bag and folded the pants and let them lie on the bead.

Two hours later she found her three team mates waiting for her.

"Your late sensei!" Takeo said with a grown up voice.

"I am?" Sakura tried to sound like she didn't care.

"Its okay sensei. As long as it's not going to be a habit of yours."

_Oh my god, I am turning in to K__akashi._ Sakura shook of the thought. She started to explain the mission and ten minuets later they were all ready to go.

"okay, lets…" But before she got the chance to finish her sentence off, a familiar voice shouted out loud.

"Sakura!"

"Naruto?" She was a bit surprised, how could he know that she was here.

"Sakura, I heard that you were going out on a mission?"

"Yeah I am, you are now looking at the team leader of team Sakura."

"Oh, congrats. But why didn't you tell me that you were going out on a mission?"

"There was so little time. I got the mission for just three hour ago or something."

"oh, so what is the mission?" He asked.

"Can't tell you that, but we will be back within a week. If you just let us go some time soon."

"Okay, sorry for keeping you waiting. Good luck on your mission!"

"Thanks, Ill see you when we are back!"

And they headed out, on team Sakuras first mission.

* * *

A/N: Okay first of all, I'm sorry that I didn't write anything about the dinner. But I dint know how to do with his mask so I leave that to you for now.

And second, I am planning to "update" the whole story, and in the new version all the errors will hopefully bee gone. Because I know there are some holes in the story, maybe you haven't noticed them yet but it bothers me. And after that, I will look up the spelling errors. I will probably find and correct the most of them if I just give it some time. And when all this is done (hopefully before June 30) I will publish the next chapter, and it will be a good one with a lot of drama (oh I just love drama!). But the biggest question is, is some one reading this story or am I just writing it for nothing? Anyway, until the next time. Bye!


	5. Letting go of all I held onto

**Chapter ****5 - Letting go of all I held onto**

Kaede walked up to her and they started to talk.

"Hey sensei?"

"Yes?" Sakura turned her head around and looked at her young student.

"Why can't you be our team leader permanently?" She looked at Sakura with a pair of big eyes.

"Well, I don't think that I have that much experience that this job needs. And besides, I am planning to join a team in the nearest future and I won't have time to look after you." Sakura looked over to the two boys who had started a hard arguing about something. She smiled at them, but they didn't notice.

"Are you happy to have those two as team members? You know that you will be stuck with them probably the rest of your life."

"I like them, they have become my friends and I hope that they se me as a friend to."

"I'm glad to hear that."

After a while, Kaede walked over to Takeo and Pakito started to walk besides Sakura.

"So sensei, does this team remind you of something?"

Sakura met his eyes, _he really can think and connect things_ she thought and answered him.

"If you are thinking of my old team, then yes."

"I wonder why Tsunade made her decision to make you the leader of this team. It's nothing personal, but you don't have that much experience and this team is pretty special." He had an weird look on his face and Sakura didn't like it.

"I guess that you dint go through our files that much, by looking at your face expression." He continued and Sakura had to admit that he was right.

"Then tell me, what's so special about you three?"

"We aren't just a bunch of ordinary kids. It really surprises me that you don't know all of this already. I mean, you are pretty close to Tsunade right?"

Sakura didn't like the sound of his voice.

"Yeah?"

"The reason that we don't have a own real team leader is because no one wants to be it. Because we aren't from the land of leaf." Before Sakura had the chance to answer him, he continued.

"We are all orphans. And no one knows where we come from or who our parents are. We were put into families and they were told to not tell anyone. But that didn't change the fact that we didn't know where we come from. We actually didn't know it our self until we were put up in the same team. We hadn't even talked to each other before that day."

"So you are telling me that they found you all when you were very young?" Sakura asked.

"Yes."

"But that means that you maybe are from the same village, and possibly relatives!"

"No, they took a blood sample from each one of us. And it showed that we weren't. Not even close."

"You are not like my team at all." He looked at her but didn't answer her.

"Don't you see, you are you and we are we. Nothing can change that, and maybe in the future. You will all find your past." She smiled and for the first time, Pakito smiled back at her.

"Okay, I will accept you as our team leader from now on. But just temporary!"

"Haha, what do you mean. That you hadn't plant to do it from the first place?"

"That's right, we sent Kaede to talk to you while Takeo and myself talked about how we should do to make you leave."

Even if he smiled, her smile started to twitch. _How could I ever compare them to Sasuke and Naruto?_

That night, they all slept under the stars and Sakura decided to stay up and keep watch. She looked up at the sky and finally. Her mind started to think about the real problem, the reason that she had taken this mission in the first place. _Him_.

Didn't all of this remind her on something? Hadn't the exact same thin happened over a year ago? No it hadn't been the _exact_ same thing. He had been forced to go, she had volunteer. He had been gone for months, she will be goon for only some days. But still, the mission location was the same, the land of water.

The next day, Kaede jumped up and down.

"Look every one, it's the ocean!"

Sakura turned her head around and saw the endless ocean in the horizon. _Beautiful_.

When they come just hounded meters from the water, Both Kaede and Takedo ran out and didn't stop until the water reached them up to their knees.

"What now sensei?" Pakito said while trying to not get any sand in his shoes.

"We must find our self a boat. The land of water is an island not far from here."

"So where can we find a boat here? This is no mans land."

"Your wrong, Tsunade told me that it should be a fisherman's camp just beyond that cape over there." She looked to the north and Pakito followed her eyes.

"Fine, hey you two. Stop playing around!" He yelled at his friends that just ignored him and continued to play around in the water.

"Kaede, Takeo! Listen to your team mate and get up from the water! We must hurry if we want to get there before night fall."

"Do you mean that we are that close?" Kaede asked while walking up in the sand.

"Yes, but we wont even get there if you will continue to play around."

"Sorry sensei!" The both young teenagers said and they all started to walk down the beach.

After maybe an hour, they finally saw some old buildings and some boats on the beach and ships in the water. When they got closer, a kid that was playing around spotted them and ran in to one of the houses. Out came a young man followed by an older couple, and the woman held the child in her arms. The young man started to walk to meet them.

"Are you the team from Konoha that are heading to the land of water?"

"Yes, I am Sakura Haruno and I am the team leader. Who are you?" She looked at his face, he had dark hair and eyes. He couldn't be more than a couple of years older than she.

"My name is Haku Aoki. I come from the house of Niwa. My master has sent me here to escort you to her."

"So you are working for the duchess, Menami Niwa of the water?"

"Correctly. It is my ship that is over there, we will leave at once if you don't mind." He pointed out on of the largest ships that had some men on it, working.

"We don't mind. Let's go."

They all got into one of the boats and a man that had been standing beside it rowed them over to the ship. They all got up on the deck and the man rowed back to land.

"Aren't he coming with us?" Kaede asked.

"No, he is just a fisherman. That house over there is his home." Haku answered.

Team Sakura didn't need to do anything at all. They just looked down in the dark blue water and all of the white foam that came from the waves that the ship was making.

The three youngsters ran up one of the small stairs and stood besides the captain and started to ask him a lot of questions. He just laughed at them.

Sakura looked out over the water, the whether wasn't good or bad. So the sea had the same color as the sky.

"Have you ever been to the land of water?" Haku asked and looked out at the ocean as well.

"No, I haven't. How is it like?" His hair was flying in the wind and she could se the reflection of the ocean in his eyes. She had to admit that he was pretty handsome.

"I was born there, so I have seen both the good and the bad. For the climate, it can be very cold sometimes. And it uses to snow a lot in the winter. Luckily four you, it will be some months before it will start to snow. But the winter isn't far, it has started to get really cold in the nights. I think that it just weeks before the first frost will come."

"I don't want to hear just about the whether. What about the people, and the villages. How are they?"

"Oh sorry, it couldn't possibly be fun to hear about the whether!" They both laughed at this and they looked each other in the eyes. Sakura turned her head around so he couldn't se her eyes. _What am I doing?_ She thought. He just looked at her but didn't say anything about it. Instead he continued to tell her about the village that he had grown up in, and how he got the job in the capital under the duchess.

"Tell me about her. How is she like?"

"Well she is 25 years old. She is really beautiful, but yet she hasn't found her self a man to merry. Her father is old and her mother dead. She is in some ways spoiled, but good and kind over law. The people love her and she loves the people in return."

"But if she just is 25, then there shouldn't be any rush to find her a groom?"

"Well no, but like I said her father is old. And he whishes to se her married before he dies."

"Oh I see." Sakura answered.

"Actually, I herd that she had been in love with some one from your village. There were two teams her over the last winter. One of the men caught her interest. But he rejected her and that made their whole staying a bit uncomfortable for them. And even if they don't know it, she made them stay five months more than necessary just because she had told them that she had become really sick and that she couldn't deal with them when it was planed. This was in the autumn, and it was from the beginning decided that all the negotiating would be done before the first snow so that your people could get home before the winter. But they didn't make it in time, so they were forced to stay over the winter."

"Is this true?" Sakura looked chocked at him.

"I am not sure, but I think it is the truth. Anyway, no one can do anything about it. Not if they don't want to cause a conflict between our two lands."

Sakura nodded at this, she understand.

"So, who was it who rejected her and why? Except that part when she was acting like a child. She seems too good to be true." She couldn't help to be curios. _Could it be?_

"Hm, his family name was Hatake. I don't know why he did it."

Sakura started to laugh, why she didn't know. She just did.

"What's so funny? Do you know him?"

She nodded but didn't say a word about it.

She didn't know why she didn't tell him about her relationship with Kakashi. And that some how made her confused.

But she didn't get some time to think about it because a man up in the rig called down to them.

"Land!"

They all looked straight ahead and saw a big island in the horizon. The mountain peeks were all cowered in snow but on the ground the threes where green.

"The snow never melts from the mountains here." Haku answered her question without her asking it. She looked at him surprised but he just smiled at her.

"The coast village that we are heading to lies in the south. So it is not too far." He continued.

After an hour of sailing, they finally could se the houses that lied around a bay. Sakura saw a big house, no it wasn't a house, it was like a mansion or even a small castle.

"Wow, is that building where the douches lives?" She asked with out taking her eyes of it.

"Yes, that is the house of Niwa. I live there too you know?"

"Really? That sounds so awesome!"

They all got of the boat and Haku escorted them to the mansions gate.

"Hey guys! How are you two doing?" He said to the two guards that were standing on the side of the gate.

"Just fine Haku, who are they?" One of the guards answered.

"This is a team coming all the way from the land of leaf!"

"Oh, are they the once that the lady are expecting?" The other guard continued.

"Yes."

They walked through a magnificent garden and then in true one of a double door made out of oak tree.

"You will all get a room, you can fresh yourself up and there will be a banquet tonight. You will se lady Niwa then. There will be some cloths in your rooms, use them tonight. Until next time." He bowed lithely and looked over to two young maids.

"You two, take them to their rooms." They bowed and Haku walked away.

"Pleas, come this way." One of the girls said and they started to walk.

They stopped when the hallway were spited up into two ways.

"Boys follow me, your room are this way." One of the maids said and took to the right.

"It's okay." Sakura said to them when they looked a bit worried at her.

Sakura and Kaede followed the other girl until they came to two big doors.

"The one to the right is for you." The girl said to Kaede. The girl opened up the door and Kaede enterd.

"The other one is your room." The girl said and walked over and opened up that room as well.

"If you need anything, pleas call. Some one will come and pick you up tonight." She bowed once more and closed the door behind. Sakura walked in to the big room. It was the most beautiful room that she had ever seen. There was a big double bed, beautiful art on the walls, sofas and armchairs. Flowers, fruits and all kinds of stuff. A big closet caught her eyes and she walked over and opened it up. A beautiful kimono in different shades of green looked back at her. She just stared. She heard a door open up to her right and she looked at Kaede entering the room.

"Oh sorry sensei, I thought this would be the bath room. I guess that I was wrong." She walked over to Sakura and looked in to the closet.

"I thought that my kimono was the most beautiful I have ever seen but I must take that back seeing yours!"

Sakura laughed at her young students face expression.

"I will be so nervous tonight. What if I spill on it or something?"

Kaede nodded at her.

"I know what you mean."

Sakura looked around and saw a big double glass door.

"Come with me." She said to Kaede and they walked together out on the balcony.

There was an amazing view, the ocean sparkled and the yard below them looked even more beautiful from above.

"Hey Kaede, sensei!"

They looked over to the right and saw the two boys standing on a balcony not far from them.

"Hey guys!" Kaede yelled back and waved at them.

"Isn't this just great Kaede?" Takeo yelled smiling.

"Yeah!"

"Come Kaede, let's go in and get out from these dirty clothes." Sakura said and walked in again.

"Se you both tonight!" Kaede yelled at her friends before going in after her.

Kaede walked in to her own room and Sakura walked in to her own bathroom. It was just as exclusive as the room.

She tapped up a warm bath and lay down in the hot water for a while.

Her mind slipped away to him, and she finally felt that she had control over her own feelings. And in the first time for a very long time, she knew how she wanted to live her life.

_I have to grow up. I can't keep doing this to him, or myself. I love him, I always has and always will do. There isn't really anything to be scared of, as long as we are together.__ I don't care what the other think, if they don't which for my happiness. Then they can't bee my friends. _She thought and sat up in the bath. She had decided, she was going to spend the rest of her life with him. If he still wanted her. She wouldn't blame him if he had become tired of her. She really had acted childish. Running away like this. I just have to talk to him when I get home. There isn't much that I can do right now. She thought and got out of the bath.

She took a dressing gown that lay on a stool and put it on. She then walked out in the room again and looked around. _What now?_ But before she had the answer to that question, a light knock came from the door.

"Enter."

The door opened up and the maid from before cam in.

"I am here to help you get ready for tonight. Another girl is helping your friend in the other room." She closed the door behind and walked over to the closet.

"I picked this one out, I think that the color really suits you. It's the same as your eyes right?" She turned around and smiled. Sakura just stood there.

"Come over here, sit down at the chair and I will fix your hair." Sakura did as she was told and the girl opened up a drawer at the bottom of the closet and took out a box with all sort of stuff.

She started to comb her hair and after an half an hour, she had done both Sakuras hair and makeup.

"Now, let se if I picked out the right size on your kimono." The young girl pulled out a drapery in one of the corners and handed over a box with some underwear and a nagajuban.

"You can change over there."

Sakura walked in and let the dressing grown slide to the floor and she put on the clothes.

She then walked out and the girl helped her with the kimono. It suited her perfect, and Sakura were a bit chocked when she saw herself in the mirror.

"You must be careful, lady Niwa don't like it if she isn't the most beautiful woman in the room." She said with a smile on her face and Sakura smiled back.

Last she got in to a pair of geta and she were then ready to go.

"I was told that some one else will come and pick you up. So you can just sit down and do what you like until your escort comes to pick you up."

"Okay, and thank you for helping me!"

"No need to thank, this is my job."

The girl then bowed and left the room.

It didn't take long before she finally herd a soft knock on her door. She got up from the chair and walked and opened up the door.

"I must say that you look incredible beautiful!" Haku said with a big smile on his face.

"Well thank you, I must say that you look pretty handsome you to." They smiled at each other and he held out his harm.

"Shall we?"

"Just a second." She walked over to her bag and grabbed the present.

She then took his arm with her own.

They started to walk down the corridor and after countless of turns and stairs. They finally entered a hall that was full of people.

"Come, I will present you to her." He whispered and they walked true the room.

The minute Sakura saw her, she knew that it was the duchess. She was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

"My lady, this is Sakura Haruro from the land of leaf."

Sakura bowed just like Haku did and then stood up.

"Welcome to my home, I'm so glad that your village didn't forget my birthday."

"We would never forget." Sakura smiled and walked nearer.

"This is a present from the Hokage of our village."

"Oh Tsunade, I hope that it is some of that youth she has. I don't know how she does it. But I will soon need to know." She laughed and everyone around her laughed to. Sakura just smiled, little.

"Thank you, I hope that you and your team will like it here. I am just sad that your hokage didn't send the same team as last time. Well, I can't get all the things that I want. Until later then." She then walked away to mingle with some of the other guests.

"Oh I survived!"

"Yes you did, shall we go and find our seats?" Haku said and they walked over to the tables.

She found her three students sitting at the same table as she and they all looked really good wearing kimonos.

"Sensei, you look beautiful!" Kaede said when Sakura had sat down next to her.

"Thank you, you too. You look like a real woman, well almost." Kaede smiled at the complement.

Sakura spent her whole night talking to Haku. I enjoyed his company and he made her laugh.

When they at the end of the night stood out on a big balcony, he turned around and looked her in the eyes.

"Don't leave tomorrow."

"What do you mean Haku?"

"I want you to stay, with me. I want to get to know you even better."

"Haku…" She walked some steps towards the railing and looked out at the ocean.

"I'm sorry Haku, I should have told you. I am in love with some one else. And he loves me too." _I hope._

"Why haven't you told me?"

"I don't know, maybe because I was scared."

"Scared of what?" He just looked at her.

"That you would run off and tell your duchess."

"Why would the lady bee interested?"

"Because he is Kakashi Hatake."

"You mean that man that rejected her? And that he rejected her because of you?"

"Yes, so now you understand. And I hope that you won't tell anyone."

"I swear, I am your friend and I wont tell a living soul about this."

"Thank you Haku."

He walked her back to her room.

"I will escort your team back to the main land tomorrow after breakfast."

"Okay, goodnight."

The same second she closed the door, a knock came from it and she opened it up.

"I am sorry to disturb you at this late hour. But I thought that you would like some help to get out of that." It was the same maid as before and Sakura nodded to her and let her in. When they were done, Sakura thanked her for her help and the young girl left.

She fell asleep the same second she laid down. For the first night in a very long time. She didn't wake up during the night. _Maybe because she had made up her mind about him. _

The next morning, she met her three students at the breakfast and they all sat down to eat together. Haku came and joined them. And they left soon after.

The boat trip back to the fast land ran by quickly and it was time to say goodbye.

"We will se each other again. So no goodbye, more like see you later." She smiled at his words.

"See you later Haku."

"See you later Sakura."

They got down in the little boat and the old man from before rowed them back to land.

Kaede waved to the crew and they waved back.

"We will come back!"

And so they started to walk down the beach, the same way that they had walked the morning before. _I will see you tonight._

* * *

A/N: Okay, I just had to upload this chapter before updating the other chapters. And maybe I will upload chapter 6 and 7 before updating the whole story. I just have time right now to work on the story (: I hope that you like it this far. 


	6. I'll take your invitation

**Chapter 6 – I'll take your invitation**

He woke up when he heard the shower go on. _What's she up to now?_ He thought and sat up in the bed. He walked over to the closet and pulled out a pair of pants and slipped in to them. He then walked out in the corridor, past the bathroom that was closed, the living room before entering the kitchen.

He made some tea and sat down at the table and started to wait. He could hear the water stop and soon after how the bathroom door got opened. The soft sound of her feats touching the wooden floor.

"So are you planning to sneak out every time you are here?" He asked her while she turned her head around smiling at him. _What is she up to?_

"Ehm, well I just didn't want to wake you up. I feel like I should be heading home."

"Sakura?" He just looked at her.

"My clothes were all wet so I borrowed some of you, you will get them back later!" He could se how she started to walk towards the front door.

"We will se each other later, okay?" She said before disappearing out of sight. He stood up and walked after her.

"Sakura what are you doing?" He manages to say before she closed the door. When he opened it again, she was gone. I considered the thought of running after her but came to the conclusion that it wasn't such a good idea. Considering the fact that he didn't wear anything else than a pair of pants.

_Well, I guess I will go after her later. _He thought before closing the door.

The next time he opened it was in the middle of the day, and this time fully dressed. His first target were her home, she would probably be there at this hour. When he finally got there, there wasn't any sign of her. _I wonder where she could be._ He thought and started to walk.

After just walking some blocks from his home, he could feel the charka from some one that he knows just too well and he headed out after him.

"Yo, Naruto!"

"Ah, Kakashi. Why are you here?" Naruto asked looking a bit surprised.

"I am looking for Sakura, have you seen her?" Naruto raised an eye brow hearing this.

"Well I saw her some hours ago. She is out on a mission."

"A mission? What kind of mission?"_ Sakura hadn't mentioned anything about a mission. _He thought and looked at his old student waiting for more information.

"She didn't tell me that much, just that she would be back within a week." He said, shrugging his shoulders and holding up his hands.

"Okay, thank you Naruto. I will see you later!" And then he started to make his way to Tsunades office.

"Come in." He heard her voice on the other side of the door and entered.

"Kakashi, what brings you here?" Tsunade said without looking up from the book she was reading.

"I wonder what kind of mission you have sent Sakura out on?" She finally looked up at him.

"Now why would you want to know that?"

"No reason, just tell me."

"Well if you must know. She came here this morning and asked for a mission. And I just happened to have one. She is the temporary leader of a couple of chunins. And they are just going to the land of water to leave an item. There is nothing dangerous about the mission. Oh by the way, they are going to the same village that you and your squad spent your last mission in."

"Oh, I see. And they will be back within a week? Thank you." Kakashi turned around and opened up the door.

"Before Sakura left, she asked me to not tell Naruto where she was going. But she meant you didn't she?" Tsunade had started to figure something out here and she looked at he man standing in the door frame. He didn't answer her.

"Kakashi, be careful with her."

"I will." And he closed the door behind. _I will, if she just stopped running from me._

On his way away from Tsunades office, he started to think. _Couldn't it been like this that she must have felt when I left for my mission. Except, it must have been ten times worse for her. When she gets back, we will need to talk. If we want this to work, we must sort these things out._

He decided to go to the front gate and see if Genma were busy.

"Hey Kakashi! What brings you here?"

"Yo, I was wondering if you wanted to do something tonight."

"Sure, I will get off at 6pm, so see you at the usual place around 7?"

"Okay, see you later."

He then headed home, not knowing what he should do. _Maybe I should go out to the training areas? I will at least keep my mind busy from thinking to much. _He thought and went home to change his clothes.

The time seemed to have stopped and every move he made felt like slow motion. The whether wasn't clod nor hot. But the air was so thick that he almost couldn't move.

After hours of meaningless training, he finally gave up and went home.

When the sun had been replaced by the moon, he entered the crowded bar and saw his friend waiting for him.

When he woke up the next morning, the night before was like a big black hole. He looked over at the watch, it was already late in the afternoon. _What a hung over._

He dragged himself out of the bed to get something to eat.

The whole day was so painful, and not just because of the hung over. He went to bed that night with his head all filled up with thoughts of her. _What was going too happen next?_

He woke up early the next morning by some one knocking on his door.

"Yeah hold on, just a sec!" He got up from the bed and pulled some cloths on before opening the front door.

"Finally! I have been standing here for five minuets now!"

"You never thought of the fact that I was sleeping. Or even not at home?" He looked with a hazy eye at the young blond man in front of him.

"So Naruto, may I ask why you are standing outside my door this early in the morning?"

"Don't tell me that you have forgotten about today!"

Kakashi just stared at him, _forgotten what?_

"You promised me, Shikamaru and Kiba to help us out?"

Kakashi just looked surprised, he couldn't remember himself doing that.

"When did I do that? Because I can't remember doing that."

"Two days ago your senile old man! The others are already waiting for us. So hurry up and get ready!"

Kakashi didn't know what to do, he was pretty sure that he hadn't promised them anything. But still, he couldn't be sure of what had said or done the night before last night.

"Fine, just wait a sec while I go after some cloths." After getting in his training cloths, he got back to the door and they walked together to the training ground.

"Naruto, exactly when did I promise you guys this?"

"It was early in the evening. You sat with us, don't you remember?" Naruto looked at him with a weird expression on his face.

"The last thing that I can remember is entering the bar around 7 pm."

"Well, you didn't do anything much when you sat with us. But you didn't stay for long, you left just a couple of minuets after 9 I think. And you didn't say where you were going."

_I can't believe that I can't remember this. I must admit that it some how scares me, not knowing what I have done. _

"Hey, I'm 99 positive that you just got so drunk that you blacked out."

"Oh thanks, that calms me down." Kakashi answered with an ironic voice. _I hope that your right, Naruto._

They arrived at the training area and saw that the other two already had started training.

"Finally, what took you guys so long?" Kiba said.

"You know Kakashi, don't you?" Naruto said and walked up to them.

"Oh yeah, never mind." Kiba laughed, and Shikamaru just smiled.

"What is that suppose to mean?" Kakashi replied and looked at them.

He didn't expect an answer and no one attended to do sow.

"So, what was it that you guys needed some help with?"

The afternoon passed by without anyone noticing it and it soon started to get dark.

"Maybe we should call it for tonight?" Shikamaru said and stopped with what he was doing.

"Yeah, your right. Maybe we should go and get some ramen!"

"Naruto, do you ever eat anything else than ramen?" Kiba said, knowing how many times people must be asking him this.

"Why bother eating something else when ramen tastes so delicious?"

"Oh Naruto." Kiba responded while they started to get back to the village.

"Kakashi, aren't you coming with us?" Naruto said, noticing that the white haired ninja had started to go in another direction.

"Sorry, I think I should get home." They all said goodbye and then he was alone. Even if he hadn't acted like it did, his lack of memory from the night before did bother him. He decided to look up Genma, maybe he could tell him something.

As usual, his friend was working. Today, just like yesterday, Kakashi found him at the main gate.

"Hey Genma?" He turned around and looked at him.

"Yo Kakashi! I didn't expect to se you walking around like that."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Considers our night out? I mean man, you got so wasted that even I were out of your league."

"So that was all that happened, I got drunk?"

"Yeah, what did you think?"

"I don't know, I can't remember anything."

"Well, I wasn't with you the whole night. But when we were together, all we did was getting drunk."

"Oh, I see. Well, see you later okay?"

"Yeah, tomorrow right? We are going to work at the office, it's the last Monday of the month."

"Mm, see you then!"

"Bye Kakashi."

_So it's back to work tomorrow. I hope that it won't be too much of the paper work._

Sakura looked over at her team. They looked tired. They had been walking the whole day, she had hoped to get back to the village the same day. But because of an over flooded river, they had been forced to take another way. And there, they met some farmers that needed some help that took some of their time. It was already dark and they had over one third of the jurney to go.

"I think that we will set camp here tonight. We won't make it till Konoha tonight." She said to the others while dropping her bag besides a tree.

"Oh but sensei, I had really hoped to get home to night!" Takeo started and the other seemed to think the same thought.

"I am sorry you guys, but there is nothing that you can do about it right now. You can write down all of your complaints in your repots tomorrow." Sakura said while walking towards some bushes to get something to make a fire of.

"But for now, you have to help me fining some wood so that we won't freeze to death."

They all sounded disappointed and Sakura started to wonder if she acted in the same way. She couldn't deny the fact that she was disappointed. But she would never admit that to them.

The night didn't get much more interesting than that. Getting wood, fix some thing to eat and then fall asleep. Of course, Sakura didn't sleep. She sat up in one of the trees, watching the surroundings. Just like her sensei had done when she was out on her first mission. She made the time go by counting on how long it will take them to get home. If they left at sun raise, they would be back in the village around 9 am. It was the last Monday of the month, this would mean that all of the jonins that for the moment were in the village would be at the office around 10 am to make some paper work. It wouldn't be hard for her to skip this, but she was sure that Kakashi would hear about her and that she was back. _So maybe it's best if I talk to him before_. She couldn't make it work, it didn't help to think about it. There was not nearly enough of time. She couldn't go to Tsunades and in the same time be at Kakashis. And she couldn't just leave the youngsters. _A note! I will write him a note and leave it at his apartment the moment we are back in the village. He would probably still be asleep, so I can just slip it in under his door and he won't notice it before he is leaving for work. _She thought and took a peace of paper and a pen out of her pocket.

"_I'm home, I know that I have acted like a idiot. But please, I need to talk to you. Tonight, meet me at __our usual meeting place at the training areas__around 7 pm. Don't try to look me up at the office, I won't be there today. Sakura."_

She looked down at the note, she wasn't happy with it. It was just so, so… She couldn't lay a finger on what it was that was wrong with it but it didn't sound good. She laid the pen and note back in her pocket and looked up at the sky. It will be a long day tomorrow. _What will I really say? What will happen between us? _

"Raise and shine sleepy heads!"

"Sensei, what time is it? It doesn't feel like I have slept at all."

"It's soon 5am." Kaede answered him before Sakura had the chance.

"I hope that you are kidding me. Sensei, what do you mean by this?"

"I said that we would leave at sun raise. And look, it's up already!"

After a long arguing, Sakura got them out of bead. Awaken or not, they started to move towards the village.

"I can see the gate!" Takeo said. Sakura looked down at her watch, just a couple of minutes after 9. Just in time.

"Hey you guys, I'll met you at the office. I will take another way over there, I have something I have to drop of." The tree just nodded at her, they were to sleepy or to happy for being home to even bother to ask her about it.

"I'll se you in a couple of minutes!" She said before seeing them disappearing around the corner. _I have to hurry, if I don't want them to have to wait on me at the office_.

Kakashi lay down on his bed, and closed his eyes. _She has been gone for four days now_, he thought before falling asleep.

_He walked trough a dark alley. He wasn't alone, but he couldn't see any one else. It was pinch dark and just a single light straight ahead gave him some sort of guiding where he was going. "Where am I?" He asked himself. Both his body and mind felt heavy. Soon, he wouldn't bee able to continue towards the light in front of him._

_He fell. But he didn't stoop falling when he should have, he just continued. The light that he earlier had been able to se was now gone. There was nothing but darkness surrounding his body now._

"_Kakashi." He could hear some one call out his name in the dark._

"_Kakashi." There was it again. He opened his mouth__but the words wouldn't come out._

"_Don't be afraid of the unknown." He knew that voice. And this time, when he tried to speak. The words actually came out._

"_What is this?"_

"_Don't you think it's obvious by now?" The voice answered him. _

"_It's a dream, isn't it?"_

_He suddenly stopped from falling and he found himself standing on a field. In front of him, he could se the back of her. She stood on the top of a cliff. Looking out at the ocean. _

"_Sakura." He walked up to her. She didn't turn around or even response to his calling._

"_Hey Sakura?" He tried to lay his hand on her shoulder, but it just passed trough. He didn't know how it could be. But one of them wasn't there._

_He took one steep so that he faced her. He looked at her face, her eyes were closed and she held her arms tight around her body. What is this? What does it mean?_

_She suddenly opened her eyes and with one foot steep, she had passed trough him and the scene once more changed. This time, he saw himself from __abowe. __They were standing at the bridge, it was that day. When he left. He didn't hear them talk. But be saw how his other self ran away and left her standing on the bridge. _

He sat up in the bed. _It was just a dream_, he told himself while standing up on the floor. A noise, for a second he could have sworn that he had heard something from the hallway. He found the hall as empty as always, but when he just was about to get back to the bed. His eye caught something on the floor in front of his front door. A note.

Sakura saw the tree of them sitting on the stairs up to the hokage building. They looked so tired that she couldn't help to smile at them.

"Shall we go in or do you prefer sitting out here the whole day?" She said walking up to them.

"Finally sensei, we just started to wonder where you were."

"Takeo, you just said that you wouldn't mind if she didn't came back. That you would lay down right here and sleep!"

"Pakito!"

Sakura and Kaede laughed at the two boys and they all started to walk up the stairs.

With a light knock on the door, the team entered Tsunades office. As always, they found their hokage sitting behind her desk, that was filled with papers.

"So, you brought them all back. Alive?"

"Well I considered to leave them over there. But they didn't want them!"

"Haha, you are just being evil now Sakura."

"You started it, Tsunade-sama." Tsunade smiled at the pink haired woman in front of her. She was proud of her, but she couldn't admit that right now. So she continued the conversation.

"So, team Sakuras first mission has now ended. I would like you all to fill in your reports and leave them to me." When Sakura was done she laid the folder on the table.

"Are you going to work with me today? I really need your help on something, but if you have to rest and take the day of. I will understand you." Tsunade looked to the right, where Sakura was standing, looking out trough the window.

"I will stay and help you out."

"Now, I hope that you have learned something valuable of this mission you guys." Sakura said when she followed them out to the corridor. The tree of them was so tired but they smiled to her and said what they had thought about their first mission.

"What did you think about the mission, sensei?" Kaede said, looking up at her.

"Well, I am just glad that you survived." She said it with an ironic voice, but they didn't get the joke.

"Haha, I was kidding! I think that you did great. Let's get together someday and celebrate it. I'm busy today but I will look you up some day later this week, how does that sound?"

"Count me in!" Takeo said before he started to walk towards the exit.

"Me to sensei! Wait for me, Takeo." She ran after him.

"How about you Pakito?" Sakura said while looking at the black haired boy in front of her.

"Fine with me." He started to walk, but turned around.

"Hey, you did well… Sensei." And then, he was gone. Sakura smiled, she had made it. She stepped back in to Tsunades office

"So, what's the today's mission?"

"Close the door and I will tell you."

Kakashi looked down at the peace of paper in his hand. _Oh Sakura_. His eye then caught the watch, it was just time to get ready for work. He left the note on the table next to him and walked back to the bedroom to get some cloths.

He walked in trough the office doors right on time. Genma, Anko and Yuhi stood near one of the doors talking. He walked up to them.

"Yo."

"Hey Kakashi."

"Wait, are you actually here a little bit early?" They all smiled, and Anko continued.

"Have you herd what we are going to do today?"

"No, I haven't. What is it?" He wasn't so interested.

"Well, Tsunade just told us that she won't be joining us today. She said that she hat other things to do. But we will have to go down to the archives to look for some information about the land of water. We are even going to go trough the last year's mission rapports."

"What? Why?"

"Well Tsunade thought that it would be best if we were updated on our lands history. Because she thinks that it will happen something over there in the nearest future. Something not so good." But before Anko had the chance to finish, on of the men that was working in the building came up to them.

"Why are you standing here for? The others have already started!"

"Okay, we will join them if you can show us the way over there." Yuhi says.

"Right, follow me then." And they all walked after the man that led them trough a door and down some stairs. Kakashi walked some steps behind the others. He couldn't help to look around. Hoping to se her face. _But what would she do down here_? It wouldn't make sense if he did se her. He dropped the thought of her for now and looked up to se what the others were doing. They all stood in front of a big door.

"You tree can start with this room, you should find your own mission reports somewhere in here. Read them trough, and then, start to look after other reports from the land of water."

"What will we do when we are done with this room?" Genma said before the man was about to open the door.

"Oh don't worry, you wont be done today. I will send some one down here when its time for lunch. Goody luck." The man opened the door for them and den took of. When the tree entered the room, they just stared.

Bookcases and more bookcases covered every single square meters of the room. Just some tiny paths between them made it possible to walk trough the room. And the only real opened space where filled with a table full of papers and four chairs.

"Hey guys, maybe we should have skipped today." Kakashi said before anyone else, but every one was thinking the same thought.

Kakashi found his report pretty fast, just by looking after some trace of his own chakra. He walked to the table and sat down. The report wouldn't have told any body else that much, but when he read it, he remembered everything.

_The whether was soon to change, fall into winter. But they would be gone long before the snow would get there. They had left Konoha the day before. It had been over 24 hours since the last time he had seen her. They had been standing on the bridge, just like so many times before, but this time, things had been different. He left her, she wanted him to stay but he didn't. "I can't keep blaming myself for this. I better just not think about it for now, it is just too late to do something about it, for now anyway." __They all ate together __with the young duchess and the duke the same day they got there. Her name was Minako Niwa, and her fathers name was Akira Niwa. The duke was so old, that had been Kakashis first thought. He must have been over 60 when the duchess was born. The real lady of the house, had died when the child still were very young. The duchess didn't catch so much of his interest. Sure, she was beautiful, he had to admit that. But she some how __seems__shallow and empty inside. I noticed immediately that she didn't feel the same about him. She talked with him the whole night. And he didn't have so much of a choice, he had to be nice to her. He didn't want to ruin the mission just because he didn't like her. The days passed by, the __negotiations __took place the whole day until the sunset. After that, they all just spent the time as they whished. The duchess seemed bored on the island, so __she spent__ every night with them. Kakashi noticed that she maybe didn't was as shallow as he first had thought. And he actually enjoyed her company, but just as a friend. And he didn't encourage her to think something else either. Even if they all were very busy the whole day and had fun in the evenings. He couldn't help it, that when he had closed the door for the night. When he was all alone, he thought of her. _

_One night, near the end of their mission, Kakash and Minako were standing out on the big balcony. (Actually, the same one that Haku and Sakura would be standing at months and months after). Minako had been giving him hints their whole staying that she wanted to be more than a friend to him. But Kakashi had always been able to turn the situation around without hurting her feelings. But this night, he couldn't find any solution. _

_She __leaned __forwards but before she comes to close, he laid his hand on her shoulder, stopping her. _

"_What are you doing?" She asked with an__ indignant voice._

"_Minako, I have already told you that I'm in love with __some one else. I can't do this."_

"_I thought that you were kidding me! It's just a kiss. And besides, I'm a duchess, what can she possibly have that I don't?" Minako stood up._

"_I can make you change your mind Kakashi, trust me." She walked in again, upset obviously._

_This was no good, Kakashi thought while looking out over the ocean. No good at all. _

"Hey Kakashi, have you already found your rapport?" Genma said and sat down at the seat next to him, holding a bunch of files.

"Yeah, have you thought of what it could be that is going to happened over in the land of water in the future?"

"No not really, have you?"

"Some thoughts have passed my mind. Either has the duke passed away, or the duchess are going to get married."

"Man, that was so obvious. Why didn't I come up with that?"

"Every one can't be as smart as me you know." Kakashi smiled at his friend before looking down to the file once more.

_The next morning when they were suppose to continue the negotiations. A servant came to inform them that the duchess had become ill and that they have to phosphor the negotiations until she was well again. But she wasn't getting well, at least they was told that she didn't. "This is my fault." Kakashi thought for himself. The same __night, he told the others about the rejection and __his suspected__that this was the reason of the duchess "illness." No one of the others had blamed him, and he believed them. He had acted just like he had been supposed to do, it was she that hadn't acted professional. But there was nothing that they could do for now. They had no option than just wait for her to get "well" again. But by the time she returned to their daily meetings, the snow had already fallen and the lands communications were cut off. Kakashi didn't have the opportunity to send a messenger back to Konoha. They were stuck. "I am so sorry Sakura."_

Kakashi leaned back in his chair.

"Never am I going back to that island again."

* * *

A/N: First of all, I am so sorry that it took so long for me to publish this chapter! But I have been out of the country on vacation for several of weeks, so I havent been able to do so. But I have been writing, so here is chapter 6, and chapter 7 will be published later this evening or tomorrow! Please, don't forget to review! 


	7. You take all of me

**Chapter**** 7 - ****You take all of me**

Tsunade stood up and walked to the door.

"I have to go and talk with the others before we leave. You can stay here if you want."

"I will wait here for you." Sakura answered without taking her eyes from the window.

It took about fifteen minutes before Tsunade returned.

"Are you ready to go?"

After walking some kilometers trough the wood, Tsunade stopped Sakura.

"So Sakura, do you know why we are here?"

Sakura looked out over the sparkling lake. She had not a clue and shocked her head.

"Well, on the bottom of this lake, it is said to grow some Magimas." Tsunade saw Sakuras confused face and continued.

"Magima is a kind of seaweed. It has an amazingly healing power. It can take out some of the most poisonous things. And the patient often recover in an miraculous amount of time. It comes to a really good use when a team doesn't have a medical nin."

"Ah, I see. So now, we are supposed to go down to the bottom of the lake and gather some?"

"Well, yeah. But we are not going to swim. The real reason I brought you here was to teach you a new technique."

"Oh really? What kind of technique is it?"

They all turned around when they heard some one knocking on the door. A young man entered the archives room and looked at them.

"The chief told me to tell you that you have an hours lunch break from now."

"Finally, it has felt like we have spent an eternity down here." Genma said while putting down the file that he had been reading.

"Wasn't you the one that said that this was pretty interesting this morning?" Anko said while they all started to walk towards the door.

"Shut up." Genma pretended to be mad at him, but Anko and Kakashi just laughed.

They walked up to the entrance and considering the alternatives they had. The buildings cafeteria was crowded, so they decided to look after some nearby restaurant. The nearest one just happened to be Ichiraku ramen bar. So it was not a chocker that they met Naruto there. Along with Kiba, Ino and Neji.

After a short hello-how-are-you talk, they all finally sat down by the counter and ordered.

"Have you also been sitting in a room looking trough a bunch of old files the whole morning?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, it seems like it never have an end." Genma started.

"If we have to continue like this, we won't be done before next Christmas." Kiba continued.

"Well, a bit of fun is it. We found some old files from when you tree were chunins! Man how many problems you guys caused."

"Naruto, you know that we wasn't chunins under the same time?" Kakashi said without looking at him.

"Yeah, but if you had done that, you would probably have done worse things." Kiba said.

After that, the waitress served them all their meals and they all talked to the person next to them.

"Hey Kakashi, have you talked to Sakura today? She came back this morning." Naruto said, sitting on the right of Kakashi.

"No I haven't, Have you?" He didn't look up from his meal, even if this subject really caught his interest.

"I just saw her when she walked with her team up the stairs to the office. Oh speaking of that, have she talked to you about a reunion of team Kakashi? Of course, we would have to change name if it actually came trough."

"No, she hasn't talked to me about it. When did you two come up with this if I may ask?"

"Oh, we just had a cup of tea, and she asked me. She said: 'wouldn't it be fun with a reunion of team Kakashi.' Or some thing like that. And I said that it would be great! Don't you agree?"

Kakashi looked at the blond man in front of him. When did Sakura ask Naruto that? It had been before her mission, before she had run of. There is a small chance that she still feels that way. He didn't have a clue anymore how she felt or how she wanted to live her life.

"Kakashi?" Naruto pulled him out of his out thoughts.

"It sounds good, but we all have to sit down and talk about it some day. But I don't know if it will be a reunion if we changed the name…"

"Then how about tonight? I'm free!"

"But I'm not. And I am pretty sure that Sakura would like some rest after her mission. You don't know it jet but chunins can really take you out."

"Okay, some other day then. But isn't this just awesome? It would be like back in the old days!"

"Mm…" _Except that the reason we formed a team the last time was to find Sasuke._ Kakashi thought. And it seemed that Naruto was thinking at the same thing. When he opened his mouth, his voice was totally changed.

"I know that he asked me to never contact him again. That he couldn't handle seeing me, or anyone again after what he had done. It didn't help that we said that we forgave him. He knew that you could never erase the fact that he left us all. Just because of revenge. But still, I am thinking back these days wondering. What if… What if I just had forced him to come back to Konoha, would he ever adjust and be able to live his life here?"

Kakashi looked at him, it had been over one and a half year since the last day they had seen Sasuke. He had some how found some of the parts of his old self but he was changed. He had change to much, so much that he never could go back to the one he once was and the life he had lived. That was in the passed now, and he had made it clear for them that it would stay there.

"Maybe we should get back?" Anko stood up and looked at the others.

"Seems like a good idea."

"Woho, more files to look in to!" Naruto said with an ironic voice.

"Isn't it anything that we could do to be excused from doing this?" Kiba said while stretching his arms.

"Not really, this is our job." Neji answered.

"Yeah, but if they told people about this before they attended the academy. There wouldn't be so many ninjas in Konoha." Kiba said while looking down in the ground.

"Oh, just pretend that you are doing something else. We are probably going to go out on a mission to the land of water when we are done with this. I mean, I don't think that Tsunade want us to do all of these researching just to torture us."

"No I actually think that, she is just torture us for fun!" No one answered Kiba, this was a no end discussion.

They all walked back to their rooms to continue with the research.

Sakura lay down on the grass. It was already late in the afternoon, but if felt like she hadn't manage to do a single thing right. _This technique is just killing me_, she thought with her eyes closed.

"Maybe it's time for us to end it for today? I have to check up the others back at the office. Hopefully, they have already found some valuable information."

"What is the research for? A mission?" Sakura looked at the blond woman while standing up.

"Actually yes, and now when we are at the subject. Have you funded yourself a team yet?"

"Hm, maybe. I don't know for the moment."

"Okay, but if that is the case. I would like to send your team along with at least two other teams on the mission that the others are gathering information for."

"What is the mission about? It sounds pretty serious?" They talked while walking trough the woods. Sakura looked over at Tsunade, waiting for an answer.

"Well, maybe you all ready know that the Duke Niwa is seriously ill. And they aren't counting on him surviving much more longer. And when that happened, it is thought that the duchess, his daughter is going to replace him. But her lack of experience and her young age is an disadvantage. There is another family called Takaya that have been in a feud with the Niwas for several of generations. And now, the old Duke is afraid of his daughter's life. So he hired us to send some people that are going to help the Niwa family to stabilized after the Dukes death. So your task is to protect our own people, which are going to take care of the political stuff. And of course the Niwa family."

"Oh, I see. Well I herd when I was over there that the Duke was old and that the duchess was planning to replace him after his death. But I newer knew that it was going this fast." They walked under silence for a moment before they continued.

"Which teams have you plant to send? It sounds like this is one of those missions that are extremely long." _And boring._

"Well I haven't thought of it yet, I just know that I would like you to go. I trust you and I know that if anyone actually got hurt, you would be able to save them." Sakura looked at her.

"Tsunade-sama…"

"Nah, don't get to big headed now. You have still a long way to go before you are as good as me." Tsunade laughed and Sakura just smiled at her. _Thank you._

They walked trough the village, it was late. The sun wasn't far from going down for the day and the streets were crowded of people going home from their work. Sakura stopped outside the office.

"I think that I will get going now."

"Oh, cant you just come with me and help me with the reports from today?" Tsundade looked suspiciously imploringly out.

"Okay, but I have to go before 6.30pm."

"We should be ready by then, if we hurry." They walked up the stairs and when they entered the hallway, Tsunade turned around.

"I have to fill in some papers in reception, could you get the reports from the others down in the archives? Thanks!" Sakura felt a bit nervous when she saw Tsunade walking away. _But what could I do? I can't say no, it would just be childish. _She walked down the stairs and trough the corridors. She knocked on the firs door.

"Sakura! What are you doing here?"

"Hi Ino, I am just getting your reports."

"Okay, wait a sec." Ino disappeared for a moment, and returned with her hands filled with papers.

"Some light reading, enjoy. By the way, what have you been up to today? I haven't seen you?"

"I will tell you tomorrow, okay? I have to hurry with these now." She left the room and continued to the next one. She heard a loud voice screaming when she knocked on it.

"Yeah! We are going home!" When the door flew up, she found out that the voice had belonged to a blond haired ninja with a much familiar face.

"You can go home, after you have given me all of your reports." She smiled at Naruto that went back in to the room to get the reports. She felt the weight of them when he handed them over. _I hope that the others don't have as much as these._ She said goodbye before going to the last room.

This time, Genma opened up. After telling him her errant, he walked away just like the other two had and came back with twice as many as the other rooms had collected together.

"Man you are killing me, how am I supposed to be able to carry these?" She looked down at the pile that she already was holding. Answering her question, a voice from the inside of the room said.

"I guess that I have to lend you a hand." Her hart stopped for a second before she saw him. He walked up to Genma who happily handed over the papers.

"Se ya later!" Anko Said before disappearing with Genma towards the stairs. Leaving Sakura and Kakashi standing in front of each other. He was the first one to open up his mouth.

"I can take yours to, I don't mind." He looked down at her, she just looked down at the papers in her hands.

"It´s okay, we should be going. Tsunade are waiting for these."

"Okay."

They started to walk beside each other, and their foot steeps ekoed in the empty corridor. _What should I say now? Why do I feel this strange in his presence?_ She thought.

He just walked beside her with out saying a word. He wanted to give her some time, to find the words.

She then suddenly stopped.

"Sakura?" He stopped a few steps from her.

"I know, that I have been acting childish." She paused for a moment and he tried to interrupt her.

"Saku-."

"Don't say a single word." He closed his mouth and looked at her and she continued.

"I have been thinking of you the whole time. And I am not just talking about last week, I mean the _whole year_. I have been thinking, would it last? What would our friends think? Is it even possible for us to be together? I mean, I kept trying to imagine us together after a year, after a life time. But I didn't know what I wanted, or how I wanted it to be."

Kakashis head was filled with just one thought. _It's happening now, she will say that she doesn't love me anymore. I can't live with that. _But before he had the chance to say anything. She turned her head up towards him and looked him in the eye. There was tears in hers, just as in his. And she opened up her mouth once more.

"But, it finally came clear to me when I went away. I can't imagine a live with out you. It is you that I want to spend my life with, and no one else." She looked down again. "But if… I mean if my behavior… Oh god I have acted so immature. I get it if you have had enough of me. I, I…" She paused for a second. And looked him in the uncovered eye once more.

"I just love you." She couldn't say anything more, she couldn't even imagine a life with out him. Nor less saying it. Her tears wasn't far away from falling now. She turned her head down again. She couldn't say a single word more, it would be too much.

He laid the papers that he had been holding, down on the ground and walked up to her. He took her papers from her hands and laid them next to the others. He then grabbed her shoulders. She was still starring down at the floor.

"Sakura." He said with a soft voice. "Look at me".

She slowly turned her head up, and opened up her eyes that had been closed.

"I love you too. There is nothing else in the world that I want more than to spend my time with you. I don't care what other thinks, I just care about you and your feelings. There is nothing to be sorry for, we have both acted the way we have because we haven't been sure. If there is some one that should be sorry it would be me. I am the one that messed this whole thing up from the beginning."

"Kakashi…"

"No, now its your turn to don't say a word. I want us to be together, and if I did get it right. So do you. So why wont we just forget all of these, and just start over. Together."

She smiled at him, just smiled. She had never been this happy in her entire life. She loved him, and he loved her. Nothing else matters. Not to them anyway.

She raised up her hand and pulled down his mask and whispered.

"As long as we are together, I don't care about the rest." And she then kissed him. He wasn't slow on responding to the kiss, and they just stood there. Holding and kissing each other.

"My god Sakura! How long does it take to bring me some papers?" Tsuande stood with her back towards the door when they came in.

"Just as long as it just did Tsunade-sama." Tsunade turned around and stared at Sakuras face. _What on earth have happened to her? She looks so, so… _But before ending the thought, she saw how Kakashi entered the room after Sakura with his hands full of papers. And she knew how it was. She smiled.

"It is already late, we can deal with this tomorrow. Now go, I have other things to do." Said Tsunade before shoving them out from her office.

Kakashi looked down at his watch.  
"Hey, I have a meeting over at the training areas now."

"Really? Now when I think of it, so do I." She smiled at him and he smiled back behind his mask.

"May I escort you over there?" And without waiting for an answer, he laid his arm around her shoulders and they started to walk.

They sat up against the tree and looked up at the stars.

"What do you want to do tonight?" He asked her while taking her hand in his.

"I don't know, does it really matter what we do?"

"I guess not, but it is our first night as a pair. I would like to do some thing special."

"And you continue to surprise me, I never thought of you as a traditional boyfriend material." She laughed a bit at this. This was a totally new experience for her.

"So what did you think of me then? An old perv? People change you know, I am not the same person as I was when I met you."

"So what you are saying is that you don't enjoy icha-icha any more?" She raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"That my dear, is something that will never change!" She laughed at this and he smiled.

"It's amazing." He looked at her.

"What?" He then asked.

"How you always make me laugh." He smiled, they both did. The whole night seemed to be just one big smile for them.

"What do you think of eating dinner, and afterwards I have a surprise for you."

"Sounds interesting. Com'on let's go!" She stood up and grabbed is arm.

"Why in such a hurry?"

"I want to know what the surprise is of course!"

They walked together trough the village. There wasn't so many people out on the streets, but they didn't meet any one they know. When they walked by a groceries store, Sakura stopped.

"Cant we by some stuff here and cook together at home?"

"Fine, you know how good my cooking skills are." He said it with a ironic voice and walked in trough the storage doors. _She would be the one cooking for sure._

After spending a long time in side the store, they finally came out with their hands full of paper bags. They decided to go over to her place, and they started to walk.

She opened up the door and he closed it behind. The house was dark and after leaving the groceries in the kitchen. Sakura left Kakashi to light up the house. _It is still hard to believe, that this is real. That he is standing in my kitchen right now, unpacking some groceries_. She thought wile returning back to the kitchen. She stopped in the door frame and just stared at the back of his neck while he was looking in to the bags. _If I hadn't been staring at him for myself right now, I would never in my life believe that it was true. _She walked up to him and laid her hands around his hips. She softly pressed her body against his back and she could feel his warmth against her.

"Is this your idea of cooking?" He asked while turning around, with her hands still around his waist.

"If you dislike it, then you can take up the vegetables and start preparing them." He smiled at this and leaded forwards and kissed her.

"Even if I don't dislike it, I will deal with the vegetables and you will fix the rest." He some how manage to slip out of her hands and over to the bench where he had left the veggies.

She did as he had said and started to prepare the meal. She was cooking some pasta with a sauce. One of her specialty's. When every thing was done they sat down at the table and started to eat. She kept asking him about his surprise, and he kept telling her that it wasn't such a big deal. He looked at her, she was so beautiful when she looked at him with her sparkling eyes. She was a real woman made out of blood and flesh, yet she was the woman of his dreams. _This just can't be real_, he thought. _This is too good to be true_. Never in his life, could he imagine the night before that he would be sitting her with her. And he doubted that she had done it as well.

The cooking time was delayed several of times because they just stopped and looked at each other, still trying to believe that this was actually happening. And they always ended up laughing at each other. When the meal was finally was done, they sat down at the table and started to eat.

"It's too bad." He said.

"What is?" She looked op from her plate.

"It's not like your food isn't good, but my delicious salad are just dominating the whole meal. It is not fare to your cooking skills." She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her inner self laughed, _he just never seems to stop playing around_. _Not even at __occasion_s_like this_.

"Then remind me to give my complements to the farmers that have grown them." They laughed for a moment before she opened up her mouth.

"Kakashi. Never change, okay?" He smiled at her and answered.

"Okay." But he didn't foully get what she meant, he didn't have to.

After finishing putting away the dish, Sakura turned around towards him and laid her hands behind her back.

"So, where or what is the surprise?"

"Well, why wont we get out and look for it? I'm sure that it is lying around somewhere near. Waiting for you to discover it!" He walked up to her and took her hand. And together, they walked out and the street where he stopped. He took his hand to his pocket and brought out his forehead protector.

"I need you to trust me in this." She looked at him, _what was he up to_?

"You know I trust you." She simply answered him.

"Good. I am going to bind this around your head, so that you won't be able to se anything."

"Okay?" She said while she turned around so that he would be able to tie a knot. And it became dark for her. She had hoped to be able to at least se a little gleams at the bottom, but no. There was nothing.

"So, let's go." He took his arm around her waist to guide her trough the empty streets of Konoha. She just kept thinking, _where are you taking me?_

* * *

A/N: So much smiling in this chapter. But I guess that it is what you do when you are in love (So if any one was annoyed by this, sorry but you haven't been in love like Kakashi and Sakura is).

Another thing, it became pretty sweet at some points but wtf. They have been on and off for so long so they needed it!

I wrote the next chapter ages ago, but that time in my main language so I have been dealing with some translations difficulties. But it will hopefully be readable.

Well I hope that you enjoy the story, until next time.


	8. Sorry for the wait!

Hello everyone!

It's been five years since I wrote this story and today I happened to stumble across it when I was going through some old files and thought that maybe I should finish what I started. I promise that my language has improved, but when it comes to the story, I don't really know how I should proceed. Honest speaking, I don't read Naruto anymore so I will not have any regard to all that has happened in recent years. But if you happen to remember my story and would like me to finish it, please feel free to write to me! I will start by going through everything I've written so far and correct any language errors before I sit down and continue writing on the story. Sorry for the wait, but I hope you still like Kakashi and Sakura!

_/Indigo M_


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